Adventures in motherhood

Here I am at 2am with a terrible stomach ache, just waiting to puke. I have felt sick off and on since Monday. It started on Monday with an icky stomach, fever, chills, body aches, the works. Tonight is the worst in the stomach area though. I have such a strange, painful stomach ache that woke me up from sleep. Now, I sit up alone, praying it will go away, but knowing inevitably that it will only go away after I have spent some time bent over a porceline bucket. I just fed Christian about a half hour ago, because of course he doesn't stop wanting to eat just because I don't feel good. And a couple minutes ago, with Ryan's help, I cleaned up Jake and his bed after he chucked on both. That's the hard part about being a mom. Duty doesn't stop just because I'm sick. Ryan can take off work and get a little relief from his work responsibilities, stay in bed all day if he wanted to. No such luck for moms. How do you "stay home" from work when home is your work? Case in point: on Monday I went to bed in my jeans, t-shirt, hooded sweatshirt (with the hood on mind you) and my robe because I had such a bad case of the chills, and was writhing around like a wild woman from such crazy body aches. I still had to get up every 3 hours to feed the baby. And i still had to go check on Jakey when he was coughing so hard he was making himself gag and all he wanted was mommy. Luckily, Ryan stayed home and took care of the kids so I could get some rest. So, there was a little reprieve. No more sick days for Ryan though, which in turn means no more sick days for me.

For the past 6 weeks, illness has plagued my family, as with most families this flu season. We have had so many colds and nasty coughs (mainly the kids) and now the stomach flu running rampant through our house. One blessing in it all, or shall I say miracle, is that Christian hasn't gotten sick. And with the kids all over him like they are, that is truly a miracle. Thank you breast milk! Thank you antibodies.

So, after all my complaining in this post, I just have one more thing to say. I may not love it when I'm sick, but I'm glad Jakey wants me when he feels sick, just as I remember wanting my mom (and still do most times). And I am honored to be able to nurse my sweet Christian. Nursing makes me really happy, it makes me feel so in tune with the baby, I just love it. And I'm glad I get to be the one to rub Ben's back when he is having trouble sleeping or has a bad dream. It is a responsibility that I am grateful is mine. But, I'm also grateful for a husband that is willing to step up when I am sick (and when I'm not) as best he can and clean up puke or whatever else is needed of him. So, I chock this whole month of sickness in my family to just another adventure in motherhood. I am sure I will have many more to come.

My baby is crying now. And that ever so helpful husband I was just talking about might not be able to help. So I better go. I think I may puke now too.....So, let the adventure begin.