Sunday, February 22, 2009

My Bad

Yesterday evening, as I was weaving through the crowd at the ice arena, I was thinking of all the mistakes that I have made as a parent.  There was the time I brought Will to Great Adventure on a sunny, 95 degree day, while 8 months pregnant.  Then there was the time I fed Will an entire bottle of milk less than a half-hour after Mommy & Me swim class.  There was also the time I was halfway down our street when Will reminded me that I hadn't fastened his seat belt.   Also, the time when I was so frustrated with Will picking his nose that I told him that his brains were going to fall out.  (Each of those stories could have made for some interesting posts.)  However, as I was weaving through the crowd last night, one hand holding onto Will's and the other carrying a plastic bag full of his vomit, I was pretty much thinking that tonight was my biggest screw up to date. .
.
A few hours earlier, I was rushing to make dinner.  Bill was upstairs, getting ready to coach his hockey game. Will and I had plans to take Liam to grandma's, so that we could go to the game, just the two of us.  This was the semi-final round for conference hockey and it was a pretty big deal.  In addition to making dinner, I had to get both kids ready, pack Liam's diaper bag, drop Liam off at grandma's and drive to the arena-- hopefully making it there early enough to get two seats.  Will was complaining, on-and-off, that his stomach was bothering him-- but he was still running around and playing as usual.  I had my back to him when he entered the kitchen, announced that he didn't feel so good and then threw up all over the floor and his sock-covered feet.  I drained the pasta, threw a roll of paper towels at the mess and then carried him upstairs to clean him up.  
It was decided that we weren't going to the game.  Then, as Bill and I were eating dinner, Will was running around and back to his old self-- telling us his belly felt better and that he wanted to go to the game.  And the truth of the matter is that I wanted to go to the game.  
So we went to the game.  We were there for 1 1/2 periods before Will got sick.  
I cleaned him up, carried him back to the car and we headed home.  I gave him a bath, put him in his pjs and introduced him to the 'puke bucket'.  We cuddled in my bed (photos above) until Will fell asleep-- but not before the bucket was put to good use a few more times.
Tonight, the good news is that Will is feeling 100% better and Bill won his game and is on to the finals.  Now, I'm just hoping that karma doesn't wack me with this stomach bug as a payback for dragging my poor, sick kid to the game.  

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I hope Will feels better and that you, Liam, & Bill are spared!!

Anonymous said...

Great story. I especially like the fact that you admit you made a couple mistakes. We all do. Parents are far from perfect. I think the best thing we can do is teach our kids to own up to their mistakes and simply learn from them.

As for my mistakes, I'll share one. I forgot to buckle Melanee's carrier into the van when we didn't have the base. Melanee always cries bloody murder when she's in the car. I didn't think anything of it until Brodee started screaming bloody murder too. I looked back and Melanee was upside down in the carrier between the seats!

MamaJoss said...

Poooooor Will. I forgot that someday "baby spit-up" becomes the "pukes"...not looking forward to that. So while we're on the topic of bodily functions...our shiny new green baby bjorn potty chair arrived today. What/when/how did you train Will? Tips please.