Our tiny superman has been sick for the past three days with what we can, by now, assume, is “just a virus”.
“Just a virus”??? Holy crap. “Just a virus” is a BITCH!
Today was my day to spend at home with Finn. A whole day at home?!?!? I, like many delusional parents, who “get a day off” to stay home with a sick kid, made a list of ALL OF THE THINGS I was going to get done. He will sleep after all. Right?
Umm….not so much.
Laundry, meal planning, organizing my office, searching the internet for deals on fall clothes, because SEPTEMBER. Oh wait, we are in Hampton Roads. That could wait a bit. Read a book for leisure (do parents still do this?).
This all sounds grand and productive but it did not happen. I did, however, get to spend a lot of time with my baby and it got me to thinking about a lot of things.
10 THINGS I REALIZED WHILE STAYING HOME ALONE WITH MY SICK BABY
1. My bedroom must look like the scene from the exorcist when a 3:00am fever hits.
2. At some point, it’s ok to not question yourself when you give you baby a freezer pop…..it is hydration after all.
3. Children can sense your emotions. Like in a creepy way. My baby came up to me and patted me on the back after he lost his cool over “No more goldfish.”
4. Babies really do grow up in super fast forward, like the x256 on Netflix. How can my baby just keep going and going and going??
5. My dog may need a Xanax if he has another day of tiny superman chasing him around with ALL of the noisy toys. Poor Koda.
6. In the blink of the eye, you can miss something. While feeding Finn some applesauce at lunch, I turned to grab something from the table and he snatched the spoon and started feeding himself. Not huge in some circles, but Finn has no vision in one eye, thus, no depth perception. He has been missing his mouth, well…his whole face, for weeks…..so, YEAH Finn!
7. To continue with the last story, dried applesauce is a bitch to clean off of the floor, high chair, window, baby hair, ping pong ball he has insisted on playing with all day. Why dry you ask? I had to leave it all there for a few hours while I wrestled a semi bi-polar baby down for a much needed nap.
8. You absolutely cannot catch all of the snot before it becomes a savory afternoon snack. Eww….I know.
9. I start to feel sick when I haven’t slept, showered, nourished myself with food other than coffee and left over cheerios with bananas.
10. Days like this remind me what it is like as a postpartum mom and being part of a family with a new baby. Everything other than the immediate need of the baby gets put on hold.
As a postpartum doula, I have been tasked with guiding and supporting families through this time. I have continued with them well on their journey as parents to days like this, when they just need an extra set of hands, or a shower, or a nap…..or wine….
Cue the Postpartum doula please.
MOMMY OUT!!!
Hope Rooyakkers is a birth and postpartum doula for Hampton Roads Doulas.
With a background in nursing, healthcare administration, and birth work, Hope brings forward a wealth of knowledge to help guide families through their experience of pregnancy, birth, and parenthood. Hope looks forward to continuing to encourage the families of Hampton Roads by enthusiastically promoting non-judgmental support for their choices.
Hope currently resides in beautiful Virginia Beach with her husband, Ryan, twin boys, Byron and Blake, youngest son Finley, and their giant fur-baby, Koda.