Puke!

Our First HALF Day

[Rick and I are done having children--unless some freak conception happens or God
has other plans for us--we're done. We've decided that as parents, we
prefer to play a man-to-man defense; playing zone is not an option. We
have our boys. It's two-on-two We're done.]

So, we enjoyed three whole weeks of paternity leave, and it was THE DAY: Dad was going back to work. It would be my first weekday on my own with the boys. I was feeling slightly hesitant, but I said a confident "goodbye!" as Rick left. It was just after noon, and Jack was in his highchair finishing lunch. Sam was napping. One confined, one comatose; it was a good start. Rick would be home in four hours. I could handle this. Jack would be going down for his nap in the next half hour...

And then the puking began. Jack had five minutes to play before naptime, and he was wheeling Ducky around in the back of a dumptruck when he began to cough. I knew that cough. "Ahhh, Mommy, Ducky wet! Ducky wet!" Sure enough, Ducky was "wet," but I was thankful that the dump truck caught most of the vomit. Cleaning crisis averted, but I still wasn't sure if I had a sick child or just a child with an upset stomach. I put Jack down for his nap with "Alternative Ducky" (or AD) and threw "Original Ducky" (OD) in the wash. Jack fell right asleep...

...for about 15 minutes. Cough. Cough. Crying, and then, "Mommy, Ducky wet!" I had a sick child! By the time I got Jack cleaned up, bedsheets off and in the wash and OD in the dryer, Sam was up. I grabbed Sam, Jack and a puke bucket and headed downstairs. Jack was not pleased that both Duckies were in the laundry, but he was lethargic and willing to sit with me and wait it out. The only problem was that Sam was hungry. So, I pop Sam on and ask Jack to sit NEXT to me. Well, he wasn't having that--he wanted ON mommy's lap. He squirmed on up--screaming--as Sam was pushed to the side--screaming--and for a moment time stood still.

(Amidst all the screaming)
This was my life, my new life. It was orientation through hazing. As I paused for that moment, I thought...if they could see me now! I didn't really think about who "they" were, but I realized that I actually found some humor in this awful situation. I think that's the difference between having just the one little guy and having two of them; I'm twice as busy but half as serious about the busyness.

Eventually, Jack had OD back in his hands. He threw up several more times that afternoon. AD/OD/AD/OD. Sam did not starve--and thankfully did not hold a grudge against his brother for denying him his lunch. I survived.

Rick came home on time. And we were back to man-to-man defense. It was our first half day.