1/6/10 - Lessons Learned

Well, today has certainly been an "off" day. Woke up thinking that I was going to get ahead of the game and shower before the boys woke up. I have a "routine" like most Moms in the morning. Mine includes turning the shower on while I brush my teeth so that the water is nice and warm when I jump in. This morning as I opened the door to the shower I noticed I didn't feel any hot steam? I then proceeded to feel the water only to find the water was "ice" cold. I let it run a few more minutes with no change. I didn't know what the problem was but my husband had mentioned a few days earlier that he thought the water temperature was up too hot. I told him I liked it that hot because when I wash dishes I like it to be "burning" hot. For sanitation purposes and I always wear gloves when I wash dishes here because of the "dry" climate it saves on my hands. Anyway, I run downstairs in my bathrobe to find he had turned the water heater to "VACATION" mode which means throughout the whole house was less than luke warm water. I had a choice to make. No shower and feel grimey the whole day or take a leap into the cold water. I chose the latter and definitely paid the "COLD" price to do so. I will certainly have to have a serious discussion with my husband about temperature selection on the hot water heater when he gets home from work.

In the meantime, I noticed that Clayton hadn't woke up yet and he usually does so during my shower. And since there was drama with that whole process I figured I would be long overdue my Clayton countdown. I listened at his door and heard nothing. So I looked on his video monitor to find him in bed "tucked" in still. Very unusual. Calvin was awake so I took him downstairs and fed him. Clayton still not awake I chose to make him some blueberry muffins to give him a warm breakfast since today I had time. It was almost 10:30 when I finally heard he was awake. I go into his room to see him laying on his Lightning McQueen couch. He seemed a little groggy but I figured that it was normal for sleeping too long. I took him downstairs and he kept telling me how much he wanted breakfast and juice. So, after a bathroom break and change of clothes I gave him his breakfast. He is always going into the refrigerator getting his desired preferences for the day. Anyway, his choice of SIMPLE lemonade (one of his and my favorites) and DANNON YOGURT smoothie I took him to the table. He got a muffin and I went to grab the crying baby in the living room. I sat down to nurse Calvin again and had Clayton crying at the table pointing to his lip. I didn't get it until a few seconds later, he threw up. It was projectile vomit. I felt so bad for him but he has been known to do this when he sleeps in. I have no idea the correlation of the two but either way, I had a lot of vomit to clean up.

Thankfully, when he does this he usually feels better and has a normal day.

After receiving the specific instructions from Clayton on where and how to clean up the "spill" I was told "thank you" and that he wanted more muffin. Always a good sign when he vomits like this that he wants to eat.

I'm not your typical Mom when it comes to bodily fluids/solids. I get super grossed out by stuff like poopie diapers and vomit. So I was very thankful to myself for buying lots of gloves for occasions like this. I was shaking as I cleaned up the several puddles of vomit and was trying not to breathe in the fragrance that accompanies such fluid. Anyway, while doing this I was having Clayton ask me for things and almost walking in it a few times as well as Calvin crying because he wanted to be fed.

So often a Mom's day is full of these hiccups or speed bumps. You push forward and get through trying your best to keep your sanity. It is such a challenge for me personally to juggle Clayton and Calvin's needs. Feels like once you have your second child you should have 4 arms and legs. So that you can be in two places at once and doing two things at one time.

I'm learning a lot of things about how to balance two kids. I keep thinking about how Sean and I would love to have a little girl someday. And with me being 33 I want to do it probably sooner than later. I get so anxious when I'm pregnant no matter if I was this age or not. Having a baby grow inside you is such a fragile and vunerable experience. You can not take anything for granted. Every day, week and month is a blessing and like every woman will echo me when I say this, "A healthy child is a miraculous blessing".

For all you Moms out there with more than two children close in age, I applaud you. I have the greatest respect for your ability to time manage, and distribute your attention and love the best you can with all of your children. Everyday I'm learning better how to do so. With some failures and slip ups along the way I'm realizing this Motherhood thing is not a truly a myriad of lessons to be learned.

Blessings to all of you for all the lessons you are learning in your current situation or circumstances. I know I'm going to be a student for life!