Sick Baby, Sick "Mama"

There's a bug going around Ella's daycare, and sure enough, she apparently caught it.  They sent her home early on Friday because her poops were a little on the loose side, but then she was totally fine all day Saturday, so I was hopeful that she just had a mild case.  But no, Sunday afternoon, she threw up her entire breakfast. 

Poor thing.  I think it scared or startled her more than anything.  I immediately picked her up and rushed to the bathroom, where I somehow managed to get both me and her undressed and into the shower...where she promptly threw up again.  After a light lunch and a "snack and snooze" feeding, followed by a long nap with Daddy, she was happy again.  She didn't have a temperature on Monday, and was as happy as ever, so I figured that we made it through her first stomach bug unscathed.

Until Tuesday.  Again, she had another loose poop, so daycare suggested that I take her home.  When I picked her up, she was super-duper happy, but since things are slow at work, I figured it wouldn't hurt to have her with me.  Little did I know that I would soon be the one hurting.  I made it through my 2:00 meeting while Ella napped on my floor, but then went downhill...fast!  Luckily, I made it off the freeway before I puked in a plastic bag while pulling into our community. 

I felt miserable, and I was a horrible mom yesterday afternoon.  I put on a Baby Signing Time video, made sure there wasn't anything unsafe for her to get into, and dozed on and off while she played.  Praise God she can entertain herself these days, but I feel so bad that I was so out of it.  I don't know how I made it through dinner or her bath--maybe she could sense that something wasn't right with me. 

I made it through the night, but I still feel really weak and achy, so I'm staying home today.  And I feel thin and frail--I guess it's one way to look good for our vacation to Hawaii next week, but it's not my ideal choice.

I'm definitely not cut out to be a single mom.  I cannot wait to have my husband back with us.  I made it through his month in Korea for work, and the first of his two-week Army Reserve commitment, but I'm so ready to have him home with us.  Aside from being sick, I just want my partner back.

The blessing in all of this sickness is that Ella said "Mama"...or at least what we think was "Mama".  On Sunday night at dinner, she said it a couple of times, and smiled sweetly when we repeated it back to her--as if it really was what she was trying to communicate.  She has said it a few more times here and there, so I'm really hopeful that this really is her genuine attempt to formulate words.  It totally warms my heart to hear her call me "Mama".