Baby J woke up this morning with a big, nasty stomach bug. My mother, aka Nani, was here so she got up with him. I didn't know that he was sick until Bean granted me permission to get out of bed but I figured out that something was wrong as soon as I saw the look on his sweet little face. He couldn't keep anything down, not even a sip of water. Poor baby. It was one of those days that he just wanted to cuddle with his mommy and watch TV. And that's not a common thing. He never stops moving.
Thank goodness Nani was here because we had two scheduled therapy sessions. If she wasn't here, I would have needed to cancel the sessions so that I could manage both kids - that and I didn't want to expose the therapists to Baby J - and it's tough to fit in two make-up sessions later in the week. As usual, Nani to the rescue!
Nani is more than competent to handle Bean's therapy so I prepped her with information and my questions for the therapists and then Baby J and I headed up to my bedroom with his DVD player and spent the morning with his close friends, Thomas and Elmo. During each session, at times when Baby J was engrossed in his video, I went downstairs for a quick chat with the therapists. It's not that I don't trust my mother, it's that I just can't stay away. I have a need to be involved in every little thing my kids do. Really, I was only away from Baby J for about 5 minutes each time, but I couldn't help myself.
After the two sessions, Baby J and I came downstairs and it was clear he was starting to feel better. He wanted to eat so bad - and if you know him, you know that he never wants to stop playing long enough to eat. He was going through the cabinets and asking for anything he could think of. I let him have a few plain mini pancakes and some water. He kept it all down, thank goodness, and was even hungrier after his nap. I'm happy to report that he is like a different kid this afternoon, too. Keeping food and drink down. Much happier. Much more playful.
Speaking of play, Bean had two great sessions. He engaged in some play therapy, practiced standing and walking, ate a great lunch and is up 1/2 a pound since last week. I am dreading him catching the bug - which I'm sure he will because he always does - from his brother because it usually results in at least a short-term developmental set-back. That and we still have several therapy sessions and a GI appointment this week and no Nani to help reduce the load.
And speaking of Nani's help, I was shocked last night at bedtime when Bean only wanted her to put him to sleep. He didn't want anything to do with me. No Nursing. No nothing. It was a great break. Still, I felt the need to ask several times if she was ok or if she needed me to take him. Of course she was ok, that was just another example of my compulsive need to be involved in everything.
I appreciate her help more than I can say. We are able to accomplish so much with the kids when she's here. Now, if only I can let go a bit more and really let her - and others - help. I need to take step back and sometimes, I need to stay away.
