Sick kiddo

M. is sick, poor thing. She was very tired and listless at presbytery (and yes, she would rather go with us to presbytery and play in the nursery at the church than stay home with someone else....she's a weird one, my kid.) and so we left early. Then she threw up in the car. I felt so bad for her - it was cold out and we stopped to change her and clean up her carseat as best we could (thank God for washable carseat covers, by the way. Hers is in the dryer right now) and she got so cold from the wind going in and out....Having a sick kid just breaks my heart. She slept most of the rest of the way home (it was almost a 3 hour drive and she threw up about an hour into it) and then seemed much perkier and more like her usual, talkative, ornery self. But then after her bath tonight, as I was helping her into her pajamas, her stomach hurt again and she started crying because she didn't want to throw up again. Which she didn't, thank goodness, but I still feel so bad for her. I'm hoping it's just exhaustion or a 24 hour bug.....and that C. doesn't get it. (which would be a small miracle, but I can dream, right?)
Of course, this would have to happen on the first Saturday in 6 weeks or so that I am preaching the next day. So, we have called in reinforcements in the form of one of the girls "adopted grandparents" to sit with her while Mommy and Daddy both preach in the morning. I should mention that M. has a wonderful track record for getting sick on Saturdays - (or during or right before Holy Week) - this is seriously one reason I wanted us to move to only one of us being in parish ministry at this time - having to get someone else to stay with a sick kid so you can work is just not fun.
I also wanted to thank everyone who commented about C's fall. She has had just the faintest bruise on her forehead this week - most people don't see it unless I point it out. I think it is just her personality - she is ready to just go, go, go - and has been forever. She was much more active in utero than M. - and I remember clearly setting her up on her boppy when she was all of a month old, so she could watch us move around the room, and she would strain her stomach muscles trying to sit up. She just wants to go and do and be active - and she will probably have a few good bumps along the way. But, this is who she is. I want to keep her safe, don't get me wrong, but I also don't want to stop her from exploring, from being who she is. M. was and is much more contemplative - she wants to consider and understand before she does something, especially anything physical. Not C. - this one will try and fall and try and bump and try again. I think she will turn out more like W. - very athletic and such - not like her mom. So, it's tightrope walking of a sort - keep her safe but let her go explore - and not feel too guilty about the bumps and bruises that come. She will learn (eventually!). Parenting really does teach you so much - about yourself, about your partner, about your family - it's quite a ride.
Well, I must go look over my sermon for tomorrow. I would post it, but haven't written a manuscript for this one and my notes probably don't make much sense to anyone but me. So, until next time...