Many things change when you welcome a second child into your family. Along with a regular shower and nap (my nap) schedule so do your priorities as a parent. Suddenly, its not so important that the baby is destroying your kitchen because he's happy... and quiet... and well, now the kitchen looks like every other room in your house. I've let so much more slide the second time around and to be honest, it feels good to not be so high strung.
On a fairly regular basis there are things that happen that make me think... "This would have NEVER happened when E was a baby!". Part of me feels guilty in those moments but the larger part of me realizes that what once was a huge deal, really... is not.
One of those moments occurred just the other day.
Poor BabyJ had been having an off tummy day. Random barf moments from a toddler never make for good times. Generally his mood was good, still had an appetite, but not everything was staying down. (inexplainable barf drives me crazy!!) E had come home from school and I was in the process of making him lunch, finishing up BabyJ's lunch and trying to shove something in my gullet too. BabyJ was being picky, throwing most options on the floor (because of his upset tummy) but I kept offering different things in hope that something would work.
Right when E's grilled cheese was cooking in the pan, I did not look over to BabyJ beginning to gag and barf up the strawberries that had just been ingested. Quickly, I rushed to his high chair where he was still sitting, about to take him out when the thought did not occur to me:
"He is contained, the barf is currently being contained in his bib, he is fine. Let him barf and flip E's grilled cheese before it burns".
I did not proceed to hold BabyJ's bib at just the right angle to catch the barf, wait till the worst was over, clean it out, and put it back on... leaving him contained in his chair, wearing the 'barf-catcher', and tend to the rest of E's lunch. I did not look over at BabyJ (who was smiling, slightly covered in strawberry barf) and realize that ONLY the second baby would be left in a highchair post barf to save a grilled cheese sandwich. Nope, not me.
Since E is in Kindergarten he is subjected to every possible germ known to human kind. We have had much more sickness in our house (despite our best efforts) this year than normal. A few weeks ago, it was E's turn to have "the ick". Thankfully and older child can at least warn you when the barf is coming, or when he has to fart.. which in this case.. were sharts*.
I had thought the worst was over and we were in desperate need of groceries, so off to Costco we went. As we were pulling into the parking lot, E announced that he had farted... but it felt like it was more than that. Oh great. I did not proceed to think about the extra cloth diapers I had in the car that he could wear... worst case.
Quickly, I loaded them into the cart and bee-lined it into the bathroom. One of my favorite things about children is they have no shame, well, mine anyways. They will announce the most humanly embarrassing things out loud, to whomever is within earshot. Here we were, in the Costco bathroom, and I was not holding the stall door closed while balancing a squirmy toddler in the other arm. E did not then decide to announce, quite loudly, that he "wasn't sick anymore! Because the all the little poos were now stuck together to make a big poo!". Nope, not my child.
I did not then turn around to find two lovely ladies giggling, as they were washing their hands. Hopefully, my child's detailed poo description made their day.
In that moment... its all I could hope for.
*Shart: If you are unsure of what this word means I am extremely disappointed. Google it.
1 comment:
I lol'd. Something to look forward to! ;)
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