My Poor Baby
I’m sorry. I’m sorry for every time I yelled, every time out. I’m sorry for every frustration I’ve felt as a result of your actions. I’m so sorry you’re not feeling well.
My toddler never gets sick. Maybe once a year but when he does, it kicks my ass. I knew he had a cold yesterday but didn’t think too much of it. Nice warm bath, some Benadryl for his nose and off to bed a little early.
My husband put him to bed last night and after 2 hours in his room he emerged exhausted. I assumed he fell asleep but he said Jake was still awake in his room. About an hour later, Jake comes out crying saying he has to pee. Ry takes him to the bathroom then back to his room. Another hour goes by and again Ryan comes out saying Jake’s awake and won’t fall asleep.
It’s now midnight and I hear movement in the hall. Ryan gets up to check and there’s Jake wandering around in the dark. Again, he has to pee. I ask Ryan to bring him to me, I know he’ll wake occasionally to cause trouble but he seemed to out of it.
Ryan brought him to me and he was on fire. His entire body was hot. I can’t recall a single day in 3 1/2 years that he had a fever. Suddenly, I go from mildly annoyed mom to completely terrified mommy. I give Jake Children’s Tylenol and tell Ryan I’m sleeping with him in his bed (it’s queen size, room for 2). Ryan’s going to remain in our room in case Joshua wakes up.
Back in Jake’s room, he’s stuffy and burning up. He tells me he’s cold and I cover him up with every cover I can find. Throughout the night, he wakes and talks to me but he doesn’t make any sense. He calls me dad and can’t remember anything he said when I ask him to repeat it.
I’m sure there are things I should have done differently. I didn’t take his temperature, I didn’t call a doctor. I just gave him Tylenol and held him all night. At 7:40 the following morning, my husband brings Josh in the room to tell us he has to go to work. It figures that Josh chose that night to sleep through for the first time. I am now convinced about my “We’re All Connected” post. Every time I think about a child, he wakes. With my mind on Jake all night I didn’t give Josh a thought and for the first time he sleeps.
So it’s morning, Jake’s still warm. He’s still stuffy. I’m giving him Apple Juice, warm tea with honey and toast. He’s cozy on the couch watching Franklin and playing with my hair. He just told me that’s all he wants to do. He said, “I love you mom. I just wanna lay here and play with your hair like this all day”. Joshua is in his Jumperoo and his nose is starting to run, I brace myself for a long, messy, exhausting day and pray my children get well soon.
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Oh, I hate it when they get a fever like that! Remember that it always spikes at night. Also, Motrin works better than Tyenol at lowering the fever, but can be hard on their tummies. I usually alternate between the two.
Poor, poor Jake! I hope he’ll get well really fast too; there’s nothing more sad than a baby or toddler sick.
Don’t be hard on yourself; I think most of us would have done the same thing (or not done the same things, as the case may be). I recall when I’ve yelled at my kids for being annoying when they were actually sick. Of course, I felt really bad once I found out they were sick. It’s all a part of learning while parenting.
I can relate! I kept my two year old home the past two days because she had a fever. She loves me to hold her “like a baby” wrapped up in a blanket. I told her I missed when my Mommy and Daddy could do that. She replied, “When I get big, I will hold you and cover you up.” Tears!!! Hope Jake feels better! Lots of water/juice. (I rotate motrin and children’s tylenol if I have problems getting the fever to break. Check with your doc on that, may be an option for you too.)
Hope he’s better today.
Poor baby!
I hope he feels better soon!
You seem to have done all the right things and it was obvious he had a temperature, you didn’t need a gadget to tell you so. The doctor would have told you to give him Tylenol, so you saved yourself some time and dedicated that time to your son.
I sure hope everyone gets a better nights rest tonight!
Julie, you are precious. I know how much you love those boys. Every mom feels awful when the babies are sick. Even when your “baby” is 30ish. My love to J and J and Ry and you. your favorite (I hope) stepmama
oh I hope he is feeling better. I hate when they get fevers. During the summer Will had a fever of 104 for 5 days and I have never been so scared, ended up being a virus but the poor kid and poor mama.
What she said. See you soon. xxxoooxxx
I just hate when the kids’ get sick. And they always give it to each other. Always.
I hope Jake is better and you get a break!
I remember when I was Jakes age and I had my first fever. It felt like I had rubber legs. I couldn’t walk or do anything. The best part was having Mom take care of me and fuss over me. I know you’ll take care of him Julie.
Oh I *hate* it too when they get sick. It *IS* terrifying. Actually this is quite funny because as soon as one of my boys sports a temperature (you call it a fever), then my insides twist up in such fear that I almost always end up with an upset stomach…instantly. My husband has long since stopped believing me, and now when one of the kids gets sick suddenly he’s like, “oh ok. *you* go to the bathroom, while I get the medicine down them okay?”
Oh sweet little boy! I wish him a speedy recovery.
I can understand what you say; rasing up kids is not that easy at all yet c’est la vie!
Ugh. I know the feeling only too well. I woke to a crib full of puke this morning. I feel so bad for the little guy, and as I had to come into work today, he’s with my mom for a while until my Hubby can get there. I’ll get home as soon as I can, and I’ve already arranged to be home with him tomorrow.
Hope your house has quieted down since you posted this.
I’m behind – on a blogcation, so I shouldn’t even be surfing…