Last week was going along quite smoothly, I must admit. Things were going so well. Everything was falling into place, just as it should. To the point that I actually got to sit on the couch, alone, and control the remote. All by myself. I got to choose what to watch on TV. “Dancing with the Stars?” “Young & the Restless?” “Modern Family?” “30 Rock?” Some raunchy movie from Netflix?
The viewing options were endless. I can’t remember what I picked, but at about 10:30, which is WAY past my bedtime, I was sitting there watching TV, sipping a cold drink, feet kicked up, when I heard coughing. OK, that’s one of the kids, I thought. Just a cough. Back to regular programing.
About 10 minutes must have passed and I heard the coughing again. I thought it was the young one in her crib. Her door was closed becasuse she wakes if she hears the slightest noise, so I get up and walk over to my 4-year-old’s room to check on him first. He was the one coughing. Then, a horrible, spoiled stench hits me. It’s bad. He coughs again and I realize he’s not coughing — he’s THROWING UP! In his sleep! He’s been sleep-puking and I almost didn’t notice!
I grab my son and lay him over my arms, propping him up so he’s not laying flat for the next puke. He’s covered in it. I yell for my husband, who comes running in. I’m talking to my son, trying to get him to wake up. I realize, he doesn’t know how to throw up. He doesn’t realize that you need to let it come up — and out. I’m holding him, my husband is trying to help. Frankly, we’re at a bit of a loss. He’s limp in my arms and I get scared for a moment. Then, he throws up again, all over the place, on my pajamas, in my hair, on the floor. It’s a disgusting and a mess. I’ll spare you the rest of the nasty details.
We clean him (then me) up, get him to a mattress in my bedroom, with a bowl next to the bed. I lay down on my bed and just watch him, making sure he’s breathing, listening for any sign of a “cough.” He ends up throwing up several more times throughout the night. Each span between bouts gets longer. At some point we all fall asleep, until …
At about 5:00 a.m. my husband starts “coughing” and there goes my day. Two sick boys.
By 7:00 my son was doing better and decided to pour himself a glass of milk. The mom in me almost said, “no milk this morning.” But I let him do it anyway. After he drinks his milk, I set him up in the living room with a cartoon so that I could take my daughter to school. When I get back, well, let’s just say it was another mess. I open the front door to find my son and husband sitting on the kitchen floor. There was puke everywhere. And, I mean everywhere. Poor things. Poor me. I spend the next hour cleaning up the place.
It was a long night and a long day. I missed a big presentation at work because I had to stay home, but on this day home is where I was needed most. I’m just thankful that I didn’t get sick. That would have made the day, let’s just say, a mess.
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ABOUT ALICIA: Alicia is the founder of Balancing Motherhood.com. Last year, she managed to stay sane while completing an MBA, working full-time, blogging, and still baking amazing birthday cakes — all while raising a young family at home.
Stacey says
MAN!!! I don’t think I’ve ever heard the term sleep-puking!!!! That’s crazy! I hope everyone is to the point of feeling better.
So, how were those 2 minutes of quality tv time???? Hope you get a re-do! 🙂
Elena says
OMG! What a terrible night/day! I’m sooo sorry to hear that you all went through such a horrible experience. Wishing everyone a speedy recovery:)
Toni says
I can relate to this all to well. My two toddlers have been sick for 13 days. First GI and then RSV. I’ve never been so behind on laundry in my life. On the brightside at least I have a million blankets so we didn’t run out of those.
Solidarity mama!