Not For The Squeamish!

Saturday evening I enjoyed a special night out with my sisters and mother. We went to Bucca Di Beppo for some fabulous food and stimulating conversation. A few minutes after our arrival I got a text from my husband saying our daughter was sick, she'd thrown up three times since I left the house (about an hour before). This was a complete surprise to me since she had not shown any signs of illness prior. I called home and spoke to my husband for a few minutes. He was fine. He's become quite a pro at caring for the kids on his own over the years.

Upon my return home later that night I discovered that she had thrown up nine times already!!! Nine! She's only 19 months old and hasn't been ill in quite some time. It's always distressing to parents when their kids are sick. We experience such feelings of helplessness...

Of course I wrapped her in my arms as soon as I walked through the door... just in time to be on the receiving end of throw up number ten. Yes, she let mama in on some of the fun. My husband, in his preparedness, had a towel laid out on the floor
for such an occasion, which took the brunt of the spillage (thank God). I checked her for a fever, gave her some water (which she drank willingly, a good sign!) and tucked her into bed.

The night was uneventful, she slept through. The next day was my oldest son's last day of his soccer tournament. I was looking forward to cheering him on but chose to stay home with my daughter since she was obviously ill. Well, the entire day she acted normal, granted she was more subdued and her appetite was weak, but this behavior is expected after enduring a grueling night of vomiting. She wasn't displaying any other signs of sickness though. I thought she was well, a small bout of some sort of flu bug, now over and done with.

Since it was apparent she had recovered we decided to stick with our plans of attending a friend's birthday party that evening. We arrived for a surprise birthday dinner all set and ready to go. The kids were playing, the baby was compliant, and we were enjoying conversation and company...

Yes, you probably have guessed correctly. My daughter was not as healed as I thought. Towards the end of dinner she started to get very fussy, crying and whining, not wanting to be with anyone except mommy. Prior to this she had made the rounds and let a few others hold her. Now she wanted nothing to do with anyone except me. I held her for a time, balancing her on my lap and maneuvering my bites of food around, over and through her squirming body. When I noticed my husband was finished eating I handed her off to him so I could do the same.

My friend, the birthday girl, bless her heart, relieved my husband of our crying child in an attempt to help us out. She carried her up and down the room trying to distract her and recuperate her earlier cheerful self. A couple of minutes into this thoughtful assistance she received a huge "gift" of thanks from my daughter. Yep, projectile vomit all up and down the side of her body. My daughter managed to splatter her entire dress, the birthday girl's hair, shirt and pants, and leave a nice big puddle of her insides on the floor. Nice.

So, mom to the rescue. I picked her up, drenching myself in her puke in the process. This lethal liquid is not to be confused with baby spit up. There is a huge difference. This was pure nastiness. Disgusting, stinky, sticky, chunky grossness.

I felt horrible. Horrible for my daughter who I had proclaimed healthy and well, but who obviously was not, horrible for my friend who was now covered in my daughter's puke, horrible for the other guests who were now exposed to her germs as well as her stink, and horrible for me, also smeared with vomit. Yuck.

Everyone was extremely gracious and understanding. In fact, my friend's mother's response was (directed at the birthday girl), "Well, now might be a good time to open your present from us, sweetie". They had gotten her several new tops. Perfect.

Needless to say we made our exit shortly thereafter.

I'm sure almost everyone can relate to this story. Something similar has happened to us all, right? Now a special treasure of a memory, tucked away in our hearts.

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