Goin' Solo (almost) on the Puke Patrol

Last night (or should I say this morning), I awoke to the wonderful strains of "MOM!" It's the kind of night time call that gets you up and halfway down the hallway before you even realize you're out of bed. I arrived in The Boy's room to find him puking in his bed. Experience led me to wait it out a bit. How many of you have had a kid held at arm's length, rushing to the bathroom, just to have the gastric volcano erupt in the middle of the hallway. So once I sensed a break in the eruptions, I said, "Ok, you ready?" and grabbed him and ran. We made it to the bathroom - hallway unscathed! It was messy. But far less messy than other episodes that resembled battle scenes from 'Braveheart'.

I got him emptied out, cleaned up and changed and into my bed. By then, my mom had joined the team (oh what will I do when she leaves this coming Thursday!!!). Between us, we got the bathroom cleaned up, his bed stripped, everything loaded in the washing machine, everything wiped down with a bleach solution...we were exhausted.

I spent the rest of the early morning barely sleeping. Every turn, snort, loud breath - it all woke me, ready for round two. Fortunately, round two never came. Well, not from The Boy, anyway.

This morning, The Boy held down ice water and then half a banana. Since then, he's had some applesauce & bread. So we're doing good.

Alas, during breakfast, Lil Bro came and sat on my lap at the breakfast table. He has a bit of a cough. Unfortunately for me, one of the coughs turned into round two. Fortunately for me, my kitchen floor is completely tiled and washable. Yeah tile! So mom and I got Lil Bro emptied out, cleaned up and changed. He seems fine now (this is about 2 hrs later). He wants to go outside to play of course. I, however, haven't even puked and feel like crawling back in bed for the whole day.

I had to call 3 people at church to have one person bring all the food I usually bring (I bring the bagels, cream cheese, strawberries, apples, bananas & table clothes), to tell the music director I wouldn't be singing backups in the worship team today and to have the teaching coordinator get someone to take my spot teaching the infants & toddlers today. I hate missing church. I love going there. I wish we could have church every day. I'm such a dork.

I'm just praying this doesn't hit my mom. She's scheduled to fly home on Thursday. She has to get back to dad - he is missing her something terrible. And they have to get their house sold & packed up in order to move back HERE! Yeah!

I took Thur & Fri off last week to line up summer camp & after school care for the fall (for The Boy) and day care for Lil Bro. I have Lil Bro's summer covered but have to find something for fall. And honestly, I'm hemorrhaging money. I know my pals back in Boston would puke at the cheap rates I'm dealing with. But even down here it's insanity. I spoke to future ex and gave him the price tag I just shelled out for JUST the summer. He lamely said something about this new job he's lining up and how he'll help out soon. Yah. Thanks for the sentiment. But you're going to make a REALLY small salary in BOSTON. And somehow, you'll need to afford an apartment (and the divorce decree will make sure it's an apartment ALONE) and those don't run cheap in Boston. I just honestly have no clue how this man thinks his "long distance daddy" thing will work. I am - for all intents and purposes - doing this alone.

And while I lay there in bed last night, fearing every noise coming from the little boy next to me, I thought. And thought. And begged God to take away this anger. It does me NO good. And I won't seek vengeance in all of the loverly ways I imagine it in the wee hours. Because I'm better than that. But oh wouldn't it be FUN to live out a few of the imaginings...

In some ways, I wish life were like the movies. I wish the future ex could say something completely stupid and I could just totally swing from the hip and lay him out cold with a right hook to the jaw. But the movies never show the law suits that follow those entertaining scenes of indignant rage.

Anyway, my last 12 hrs of puke patrol with my mom made me realize, after Thursday? It's all me and God. So last night I asked God to please please PLEASE give me the patience I'll need. And that he give me the strength to do the 40+ hrs a week at work AND the mommying AND the housecleaning AND the lawn care AND somehow find some me time. Honestly, when I start listing it like that, that little imaginary sucker punch scene replays over and over in my head. Future ex is lucky I'm 1600 miles away and not fodder for Jerry Springer.