Slice of Life is sponsored every Tuesday by Stacey and Ruth from Two Writing Teachers. For the month of March we are challenging ourself to write a Slice A Day. Here we go!
One thing I hadn’t thought
of when I became a mom – how much I would dread when my children were ill. Some
parents are made of steel, their kids get sick and it brings out the best in
them. Not me. Outwardly I seem great, I can handle it. Inside, I’m a nervous
wreck. I’m prone to worrying and anxiety anyway; illness sends me into a
tailspin.
And not just the thoughts
of, “Oh, crap. Is it my turn to stay home? Need to write sub plans now.”
But also the thoughts of,
“How serious is this? Do we need to go to the doctor? Are they going to think
I’m one of those parents if we bring
him in? But what if we don’t?”
I hate when my boys are
sick but I do love that I can make them feel better. That I seem to have some
sixth sense of when they are sick and usually wake up a few minutes before I
hear, “Mama…” called from a bedroom.
And, I love that my name comes out first, sorry
Chris. There is something about wanting your mom when you are ill, not sure
why.
As I began to type this up
tonight I was listening to the symphony of coughs coming from Liam’s room. A
cold that has decided to settle in his chest. I paused, is it the cold cough or the I’m getting ready to throw up cough. I’m thinking the cold one. Knock on wood. I heard that little
voice, “Mama, can you lay with me?”
And I jumped up, grabbed medicine and Same Sun Here to read as I lay
with him.
Liam pulled his feel from
under the covers so I could smear Vicks Vapor Rub on them and pull on his socks.
He asked me once again why I do this when they have coughs. I told him the
story of the old nurse who swore it was the best thing for babies with colds
and coughs and how I’ve done it ever since then. He laughed as I put on the
vapor rub, swallowed some cough medicine, and lay back down. I curled up next
to him with my book and turned my back to him. And as he curled next to me, I
could feel the twirl begin. My hair wound around his fingers as he twirled
slower and slower. As his breathing became even I released the breath in my
chest. Good night, sweet boy. Send that cough to the moon.
