Unspoken
Babies and children may not fully understand the concepts of gratitude and sacrifice so woven into parenthood, but today has shown me they have their own way of saying thank you.
And I love you.
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I went into Lucy’s room this morning, and she greeted me with her usual big smile, and cheerful “Mumma! I missed you when I was sleeping!” But then she turned her head and I had to stifle a scream: The whole half of her face, from the top of her forehead to the bottom of her nose, was completely swollen. Her eye was almost closed up.
Something bit her in the middle of the night, and her body overreacted (thanks Bob the pharmacist @ Shopper’s Drug Mart in the Boonies). She’s on puffy face infection watch, Benadryl and hydrocortisone for 24 hours, after which we have to take her to a doctor if the swelling isn’t down.
She’s acting almost like her normal self, except pretty clingy and extra affectionate.
“Mummy, take care of me. Mumma, I love you. Please take care of me.”
Oh, my Baby Goose. I try. Every single day.
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Both girls are also battling colds, and we had an absolutely draining, exhausting and often angry weekend dealing with two drained, exhausted and often angry sick kidlets.
We’ve dubbed them Quasimodo and the Snot Sister.
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Alice’s symptoms are a few days behind Lucy’s, so today the snot is just pouring out and she’s swallowing excessively with what must be a sore throat. She woke up this morning with mucus, crusted green and yellow, on her hair and eyes and cheeks and chubby chin. And that sickly-sweet illness smell. She is whiny and sad and mostly miserable.
Yet each time I pick her up, she takes my face in her hands with a shining-eyed grin, leans in, and gives me an unprompted, snot-slobbery open-mouthed kiss on the cheek.
I’m sure she is echoing her sister’s plea, in her own way.
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As Eric drove to work today — late, as Lucy and I scrambled to the pharmacy — I’m sure it was with slumped shoulders: Aching physical and emotional tiredness from home, the place that normally gives such rest and relaxation from a very stressful job.
And me. I am touched out and covered in smears, some crunchy, some still soft: Tears and snot and spit and love-infused goobers from my tiny beings.
Yes, we are weary. Yes, we joked about posting an ad on eBay — For Sale: Two Small Children. Slightly Damaged. — when walking home from the farmer’s market yesterday morning, both girls screeching in the stroller.
But there is something so powerful and soul-lifting about them wanting you, and only you. Who knew one day we would wield such unflinching and unwavering comfort?
That is gratitude and love. Unspoken, but ever present.
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There are currently 10 responses
Love Alice’s little hat .. very cute!
That’s a Joe Fresh hat Mom bought.
But lemme tell you…she has NOT been sweeter than cherries the past few days!
The picture of Lucy reminds me of pictures of my brother when he had Bell’s Palsy(temporary paralysis of on side of the face)… Hope they both feel better soon…
Alice’s hat is too cute…
poor Lucy. Lexy is alergic to mosquito bites too and swells up pretty bad. She got one on her upper eyelid a day or two before school and she ended up looking like we clocked her. It was itchy so she scratched, so it bruised and swelled up more, vicious cycle… benadryl works wonders along with hydracortizone. We keep both on hand now that mosquito season is back. So far so good, knock wood.
I often think of selling mine to the nice (albeit imaginary) old Lituanian couple I tell Alex about that offered me 50 Kopecs for the both of them … really I think it’s a good offer, if slightly more than their worth…
I hope they’re feeling better soon, it’s rough when the kidlets are sick, then Momma doesn’t get any sleep. Get out the Vicks and put some under Alice’s slimy nose, might help her breath better – we do that with ours when they’re gooey.
Hope they feel better soon.
What a coincidence: http://badladies.blogspot.com/2009/06/peace-in-dyson.html
Hope the girls feel better soon! Isn’t it rough when the babes are sick? I find it difficult with one, I can’t even imagine two! Sometimes I feel like a bad mom because I am just counting the minutes to naps and bedtime- sick kids are exhausting. However I totally agree with the idea that “there is something so powerful and soul-lifting about them wanting you, and only you”. Even on my most tired, witts-end send me to the psych ward days the smile, the hugs, or the snotty nose kisses makes every second worth it!
My 10 month old Ayden just started crawling last week. Now whenever I leave the room he starts to bawl and very slowly plod in the direction I went. It’s his way of saying he loves me.
Hope the kids are feeling better soon, know exactly what you’re going through!
We’ve all been there… and it’s twice as bad (or 20 times as bad) with 2. I hate feeling torn between the two of them – because they both want Mommy when they are sick. I hope everyone is feeling better soon!!
Oh poor Lucy! I had some crazy swelling when I was young as well, My Doctor thought it was mumps! My Mom freaked. Turned out it was just an infection. Hope both girls feel better soon and the swelling goes down fast! I can imagine how scared you were.