BLUHHH! SPLASH, SPLASH!

If there is one thing that makes me feel helpless it is when the kids are sick. Late last night I decided to sleep on the couch because (well, Charito was snoring) Grayson had fallen asleep on the way home from A.C.'s and visiting G.G. He wasn't his as-of-late-restless-self demanding a feeding at 10:30 pm so I dare not budge him, especially when he fell asleep with one of those "having a great dream" kinda smirk on his face. He slept in the bassinet in the dining room. Triston on the other hand probably rejoiced when he observed daddy fall asleep next to him in the big bed (During daddy's attempt to help me out and put Triston to bed. Charito was so exhausted, literally falling asleep at the restaurant like, from what I hear, he does at work on slow days). So after a million hugs, conversations about Christmas and baby Jesus and his sneaky mission to overcrowd the fish tank with Little Mermaid characters, I finally found him passed out in his bed at 12am. Ah, if only that would have happened when I initially declared, "Bedtime for Bonzos".
By 4 am I heard size 9 footsteps down the stairs. Triston crawled next to me and immediately I noticed he felt warm. I blamed it on his flannel Spiderman jambos and warm blankets and brushed it off. We dozed off for another hour when he awoke to request he return to his bed. Okay, that is NOT typical! I took his temp=100 degrees. Brought him into our bed to rest. He slept a bit more but then popped up to tell me, "My throat hurts." I was feeding Grayson so Charito took him to the bathroom. I told Charito Triston had walked in on me throwing up about a month ago, so he would know what to do. He just spit a few times, but I could still hear him swallow saliva here and there. He made it back to the bed and minutes later ran to the bathroom. All I heard was BLAH, SPLASH, SPLASH! That was the beginning of an entire morning of vomit!
Well, this had to be the first time not having a bathroom on the first floor actually effected me. I remembered an episode of Jon and Kate plus 8 when Kate gave each kid a bucket to puke in. It was a gross thought at the time but right now I was willing to try anything. I knew that there would be times I wouldn't get him up/downstairs fast enough, i.e. feeding Grayson. As sad as it was to watch him stand over a toilet it was so darn cute. His little body bending over what never before seemed like an enormouse toilet. And during it all I couldn't help but think, "I am so proud of him for knowing when he actually has to puke and where to go to do it." Another one of those moments I had to remind myself he is not the baby anymore.
The funny part,the part that I don't want to forget (let's be honest, I CAN forget the smelly puke part)....is what he would say each time he threw up. Before he would puke he would ask me, "Mom, you hold my shoulders? Please, mom." Broke my heart. Of course I would! Geesh, I give the kid hugs upon request in order to help him bear down and poop. Why would this be any different?! And after each episode of BLAH, SPLASH, SPLASH he would happily state, "I'm not sick anymore!" It reminded me of that ironic feeling of relief we all get right after we throw up, no matter how short lived it is. The rest of the day consisted of cuddles, many "I love you oodles and a google, Mom", the Bee movie (our first time watching it) and sleep. Much needed by all.
Needless to say, anytime any one of my boys needs me to 'hold my shoulders' I am there! It just makes my heart cry a bit...I guess that is part of being a mom, a job I will never resign from!
Oh, and in case you were wondering...that bucket o' puke was never used! Thank goodness because I really wasn't looking forward to cleaning that baby out. Pukey sheets are bad enough!