Flu Blessings

It started with little man Creason and now it has progressed to the big man Creason- the flu. This week has been a crummy one. At the same time I have never loved more being a mom and wife and taking care of my boys.

I don't do vomit. I really don't. Blood grosses me out, but I can deal with it. Poop doesn't really bother me and I've got the other bodily functions pretty well covered. But vomit, I just can't handle it! Now, I realize this is a major flaw as vomit is definitely in the job description of motherhood. But until now, I had yet to come face to face it.

I had just told Derek that he might as well go to church since I was just going to put Jackson to bed on Wednesday night. He left and I was rocking Jackson while he finished his last of his milk. Then it came-- all over me. Smelt disgusting. Soaked through. And it was the first of 4 times it happened in the next 2 days.

I surprised myself. A truly fantastic part of motherhood- the part that it doesn't matter what I'm doing, how I feel because what really matters is that my baby is crying, he doesn't feel good and the overwhelming desire to take care of him and to make it all better. I quickly attend to getting him clean PJs and run to find a clean blanket to help him calm down. I did change before rocking him to sleep. And when he woke up sick later on that night, I was more than happy to cuddle and hold him (although not in my new bed!) despite knowing what would eventually happen again and again.

The littlest things have made Jackson so upset this week. It started when I moved his blanket away from his high chair at breakfast on Wednesday, then it was when the doctor put the stethoscope on his stomach, and sometimes it's nothing at all that sends him running to me, tears running down his face. I willing hold him on my lap and give him some lovin' until he is ready to face the cruel living room on his own again. I have gotten so many Jackson hugs and cuddles this week that I almost wish he was sick more often. Yesterday morning, he climbed on me and was wiggling around so much. It took me a minute to realize that he was trying to get into his 'rock him to sleep' position. He feel asleep immediately.

Derek came home from work before lunch today and spent most of the remaining hours of the day in bed. I have fortunately dodged this stomach bug thus far, but I have hated to see my favorite boys to be in such misery. One thing is for sure, a blessing in disguise- the real joy of motherhood and being a wife is loving them so much that it's a blessing to take care of them.