An Eeyore Day

Did I complain about yesterday? How foolish of me. Today I feel like Eeyore wallowing in self pity, but disguising it with a clever, "That's right, gaiety, song and dance, here-we-go-round-the-mulberry bush and whatnot. You go right ahead enjoying your day, I'll just be here lying lifelessly on the couch hour after hour, wondering which breath will be my last while the children run amuck. Don't you worry about me. Some can and some can't and that's all there is." (If you don't know A.A. Milne's character Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh, go buy the book and read it, it will all make sense.)

I felt a little queasy heading to bed last night, and by 3:00am it was clear that I wasn't going to enjoy the day ahead. At 4:30am I heard Naomi clomp down the stairs with her stiff-jointed thuds. A minute later I heard splattering, lept from bed, and found Naomi just as she finished covering my kitchen cupboards, counter, floor, and Brita filter with vomit. She had been trying to fill her water bottle, and I guess it snuck up on her.

I wanted to give myself the luxury of blacking out and keeling over on the floor from my own nausea, but there was Naomi, completely helpless, dripping with vomit and shaking. Matt hadn't come home from work yet. So I gathered my wits and said what any mommy would say, "It's OK, honey, I'll clean it up."

I used half a roll of paper towels up and stripped Naomi while trying to maintain my equilibrium. Thankfully Matt walked in the front door just then, and though he'd just worked a 13 hour shift, I had no choice. Poor Matt was greeted by. "She just threw up. Can you find some PJ's for her and put her in bed. I need to vomit." And that's exactly what I did. Can't argue with that.

About five pounds lighter and feeling a bit less queasy, I found the strength to Lysol the kitchen and bathroom before heading back to bed. Half-an-hour later Emma joined me in bed, "I ah baah  geam," (I had bad dream) she explained. And I thought, "Well come on in, I'm living a nightmare." She tossed and turned for an hour then decided her own bed was more comfortable. At 7:40am I heard the kids stirring, and I knew I had no ability to care for them today. I wasn't sure if I could even stand up. Toby complained loudly in the next room while I picked up the phone and tried to think of who to call first. Suddenly I threw the phone to the floor and discovered that I could not only stand, but run down stairs and kneel in front of the toilet quite nimbly. Round #2 of weight loss began.

At this point I was sure I couldn't care for the kids, and Matt needed to sleep between 13 hour shifts. Carma, a friend from church, agreed to come by for the morning to take care of the household while I laid helplessly on the couch. My body threatened to black out and collapse each time I attempted to be vertical after that. Naomi laid helplessly on a bed on the floor, having a headache, a stomach ache, and joint pain flare-ups again. I did the only thing I could, called Matt  to put Mary Poppins into the DVD player on my computer. Soon all the kids were giggling, I was resting, and Carma was folding my laundry and changing Toby's diapers.

By noon Naomi and I started taking sips of 7-up, and we have even achieved sitting upright for a few minutes at a time now. Carma had to leave, so dinner will be a "whatever you can find" self-serve buffet for Hannah, Emma, and Toby. They don't seem to mind that at all. But I hate to complain...I'm afraid of what tomorrow will bring if I do.