Sick Baby Better

I suppose my girl is no longer a baby but at two, I think I won't get lynched for referring to my daughter as my baby.  She suddenly got sick Thursday afternoon.  She'd been battling a cold all week but shortly after 4pm on Thursday, she erupted into a miserable heap of girl with an inexplicable stomach ailment.  She hadn't eaten much on Wednesday or Thursday but as she's a scatty toddler with almost daily food preference changes, I thought nothing of it.  Around 3pm, as she and I cuddled on the bed together, she said "My tummy is so full."

I suspected a stomach ache but was still ridiculously surprised when the effect of that full tummy hurled into view.  I spent the better part of the evening cleaning the floor and calming her down with her favorite "moobie."  As the hills came alive with "The Sound of Music" Eliza danced and jumped around like her typical self.  Eliza's always been a bit of a puker and I once described her as "happy, happy, happy--with vomit."  

She fell asleep in my arms Thursday night, a little thing that still felt supremely satisfying for me.  I felt like I could've easily sat with her in our rocking chair for hours, feeling her chest rise and fall against mine.  She slept through the night but was cranky, whiny and generally in bad spirits on Friday.  We spent the majority of Friday on the couch in front of the same "Little Einsteins" dvd (I think Julie Andrews may have worn out her welcome).  I felt a bit like a deadbeat Mom but I was rather exhausted, fighting off nausea myself, and determined to keep her as happy as possible.  She was hungry but I've been down this road before.  Eliza's always hungry much sooner than she's ready to eat.  So I held her off for the day on Friday, easing her discomfort with water, crackers and a little bit of grapes.  I know grapes are hardly what the doctor ordered but she kept screaming for them so I gave her two.  When those stayed down, I offered her three more.

She fell asleep in my arms again Friday night and woke up Saturday without a fever.  She still seemed out of sorts--a trip to a local indoor playground didn't bring out the energy or interaction it usually does.  She seemed content to sit on the floor and watch other kids play.  She didn't even put up a fight when it was time to go.  She went down for her nap painlessly and woke up, jumping, laughing and back to being my energetic, spirited little girl.

It's so hard when Eliza is sick but so wonderful to see her better.  It's like she has a new appreciation for her little body and all it can do.  As I changed her diaper this morning, I started to kiss her tummy.  She squealed with delight and gently pushed me away.  I sat up only to see her hold out her arms to me and say "kiss me."

So I did.