It's Mother's Day, and by all rights, it should be the perfect day. It was planned that way. Jacob woke me up with coffee in bed. As I stirred and roused myself from the bedroom, Esme eagerly gave the present that has been sitting wrapped on the mantel. "I made that for you," she said as I unwrapped the hand-painted box and accompanying beaded bracelet. Jacob had made steamed artichokes with hollandaise sauce, cranberry mimosas, and cantelope wrapped in prosciutto. We had plans to go to the museum for the day, having a picnic lunch in the park and ending with dinner in San Francisco.
What could be wrong with such a perfect picture? Let me fill in the blanks.
It was the middle of the night. We heard Esme crying from her room. Jacob ran to see what was wrong, and I heard footsteps running to the bathroom, followed by the unmistakable sound of vomiting.
Morning light brought my coffee in bed, followed by Esme throwing up in the bowl by our bed. Esme's bath was likewise interrupted by vomiting. I ate the prosciutto-wrapped melon balls with my mimosa to have Esme vomit into the bowl next to me. We sat at the table and ate artichokes dipped in hollandaise, to have Esme vomit into the bowl on the floor next to us.
We looked at each other, and that's when Jacob told me about the planned picnic in the park and the early dinner reservations at Millennium. I had already said I would like to go the museum for the day. "I guess we're not going." Esme was curled up in a ball on the floor.
We have taken turns playing with her in the spells that she feels okay and comforting her when her stomach cramps this morning. It's just proof of how a mother (and a father) don't really get a break, even for a designated holiday. Happy Mother's Day to all of you mommies out there, and may your day be vomit free.
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2 comments:
Hi Aeron,
Firstly hello. Glad to see you´re doing so well and congratulations on your family.
Secondly, what a great site, I´ve enjoyed reading your wonderful observations on parenting. As a relative newcomer to the vocation it´s been great fun (and a bit of a treat in those rare moments to oneself) to read about other experiences. It´s a job that really could do with a manual though every baby is so unique it´d be hard to write one big enough to cover the job descripion.
Thirdly, Happy Mother´s day! It´s my first and we too have had a bit of a mixed blessings day. I had a painted glass candle holder (read empty baby food jar with his first brush strokes - though I think Papa had a helping hand in that) and a breakfast of french toast and bacon with real maple syrup and lots of cups of tea. He napped this morning so I had a chance to catch up with some laundry and housework and then we went for a nice stroll into town for some cappucino and apple strudel. Home again and we hoped to have some some time alone, a much treasured Sunday ritual but.....Alexander has decided he no longer likes to nap in the afternoon (he´s only 8 months). It´s rather frustrating as we know he gets tired and exhibits all the usual signs with a rubbing of the eyes and loosing interest of any game or thing he´s doing. But he absolutely refuses to sleep. I feel that we waste far too much time in the trying to get him to nap game. I´m thinking of giving this a real time limit and if he doesn´t want to nap at 3 keep him going till 5 and then have a wind down by 6. He was out like a light at 5,45, which probably means he´ll be wide awake at 5. Sigh, Monday morning too. However, on the plus side he was fast-a-sleep early giving Papa the chance to make a beautiful Mexican meal and Mama a chance to catch up on a long overdue bath and time to paint her toenails.
Congratulations to you too! I certainly can empathize with the nap thing. Esme and Emil both went on multi-day nap strikes this week, leaving me washed out by the end of the day (Jacob was out of town all week). The first year is crazy schedule-wise, at least in my experience. It seems that as soon as I figure out the child's natural schedule it changes. It's funny, but some babies are so happy to nap (you lucky dog, Em!), and others go down fighting. Mine are in the latter category. They're afraid of missing something, at least that's what I tell myself.
It's great to hear from you, though. We'll be in Europe in June, but I doubt we'll get to see y'all if you're still in Amsterdam. We'll be in London, Nettleham, and Barcelona. Take care, and stay in touch!
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