Brought To You By the Letter “A”

This was an original post for LA Moms Blog on July 23, 2008.  Exactly two years ago today.  Tragically, the SV Moms Group has shut ‘er down, so I’ll be posting my archives here every Friday.

I could tell you it’s because it’s “All about me.” Or “Aargh!” Or “Am I ever going to get any work done?”

The answer is yes, a little, but only because of “Acetaminophen.” The infant and children’s kind, and possibly a couple of caplets of the adult kind, too.

My two little boys, ages 1 and 3, picked my first day off – from work and from caring for them – in two weeks to get sick. First the baby woke up with a fever, so I kept him home from daycare, thinking “He’ll sleep most of the day so I’ll write then, and when he’s awake, I’ll do the housework.”

Not so. During his waking moments, he wants nothing else but to be held by me. I can’t blame him, really. At 36, I still want my Mommy when I’m sick.

As I get used to the idea that I’m going to be tending to him until his next nap, the daycare calls. The 3-year-old has a fever, too. They can’t believe their eyes – it’s 102. Maybe he’s reptilian: it’s 102 degrees outside today as well. Thank goodness their grandfather is visiting so I don’t have to drag the sick baby to pick up the sick boy.

Now I have two little hot bodies insisting to lounge on top of me as we all watch PBS. Now they want lunch. Now they are cranky. Off to bed with both of them – neither complains, they must really be sick.

I keep them on scheduled doses of the pink liquid meds. Their attitudes rise and fall as it takes effect and then wears off. I know how miserable it is to have a fever. I feel for them – really, I do. But I am under this weight of procrastination, of all the things I put off until this day, because this was my Day Off.

Unless someone is telling me that the real meaning of this Day Off is to turn off. I feel peace during this day only when my children do. It feels like a sign. Turn off your worry, turn off your numbers and words, turn away from the piling in-box, turn down the bed, Mommy, because you’re about to get sick too, and you need your rest.

Why thank you, I think I will. And I will pop some of that adult medicine, just in case.