Better
by Kym on February 16, 2009
Today was better. I feel somewhat buoyed up by the kind and insightful comments I was gifted with yesterday. I approached the day with a much cheerier attitude, and despite being sore and groggy after battling the flu this weekend, I managed to get a fair bit done this morning.
Unfortunately, all that good work was somewhat undone by my making the mistake of lying down for “a little bit” this afternoon (something I have NEVER done before), only to wake up three and a half hours later to find my children running amok. There were stickers everywhere. Seriously. I even found some adhered to the inside of the fridge. Becca scribbled with a dark purple crayon on our wood floor, and Emma’s bedroom mirror, and the wall of the stairwell. Bits of scribbled on paper littered the whole main floor, and the bathroom was conspicuously wet in places. I’m just hoping it was the sink they were playing in…
Despite being shamelessly neglected for three and a half hours, my girls were in good spirits. Emma took it upon herself to feel my forehead and tell me quite proudly that I was all better because she’d let me sleep. Dr. Emma she called herself, and I smiled fondly at her and snuggled her and stroked her cheeks and played with her hair. Hidden behind her bossy nature is a tender, nurturing heart. She loves to help and I love to see it in her.
Becca wasn’t particularly phased by my absence, smiling bemusedly up at me as I staggered downstairs and holding up her artwork for my perusal. “I coloured, Mummy, I coloured!” she exclaimed. Then went back to it, my expressions of praise sufficient for her. I snatched her up into my arms and cuddled her anyways. She protested. I was depriving her of her art, apparently.
I felt a bit out of sorts, shuffling about and cleaning up the multitude of little messes. Whipping up a quick meal to percolate in the oven and be ready when Neil arrived home. Changing over the laundry. Scrubbing the bathroom. It wasn’t enough somehow. I felt disgruntled. Like I’d missed the whole point of my day somehow. I’d lost something during those pillow drooling hours in bed.
Becca suddenly skidded into the room, laughingly smacked me on my right hip and shouted, “Tag! You it Mummy!”
Ah. That’s right. That’s what I missed.
I hate being sick. But I love that feeling of slowly feeling better. It casts everything into sharper relief somehow. The darkness makes the light seem all the brighter. Illness makes health seem like such a gift.
Apart from that, I learned one very important lesson today…
I am never, ever, taking a nap during the day ever again!
14 comments
I feel the same way about naps. they always throw me off so much, and thus are only ever taken in moments of illness. I hope you’re feeling better dahlin’! man, we are never gonna get to hang out at the rate we’re going!! really, you ARE on of my most favoritist people…how is it that we never see eachother???
miss you!
by Jenn on February 16, 2009 at 9:53 pm. #
I love me a good nap! Some days I just NEEEEEEED one, but I rarely sleep longer than 45 minutes, and lately, no matter how far behind I am on sleep I only last 20 minutes. How annoying.
I’m glad Dr. Emma let you sleep. I hope you get feeling better!
by LisAway on February 17, 2009 at 12:18 am. #
Fazed!
by Arbie. on February 17, 2009 at 2:48 am. #
Bed. Friend, enemy, counsel and conspirator. It is as much a pit as it is a den. How often I have retreated. How often daylight did not pierce my self contained high-tog womb. But how often I was running away, simply by lying still.
The body is a funny old thing – mine is anyway. Sleep is necessary, but finding it is like finding a smile on public transport. If you squeeze it into your day the butterfly wings start flapping in Beijing and by bed time sleep will be a storm that is likely to batter your windows and keep you from your dreams.
Life is suffering, daily it is a fight. Sleep is a respite, and a curse. But as curses go, it is one I embrace.
by Dr Andros McButtluv on February 17, 2009 at 5:20 am. #
Three cheers for Dr. Emma!
(And the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, which solves crayon issues.)
Annette´s last blog post..About a House
by Annette on February 17, 2009 at 7:52 am. #
I am glad Emma let you take a nap; what a good girl. :-)
Sorry you had a mess to clean up afterward, and sorry you were left feeling like that was a wasted day (I can never nap for the same reason), but I bet that extra rest does the trick to get you through this illness and help you feel like yourself again.
by Beth on February 17, 2009 at 8:34 am. #
I took a nap once and the family guinea pig ended up in the pool table, squealing nervously, while one little blonde angel with his halo conspicuously askew stood looking on and claiming ignorance. Pig must have flown himself in there, I guess…
Melanie J´s last blog post..Insert Twilight Zone theme here. Or you know, something that’s eerie sounding that came from this century and doesn’t show my age as much.
by Melanie J on February 17, 2009 at 9:40 am. #
Ah…naps are evil, but so tempting sometimes! It seems like just a few minutes will make you feel better and suddenly there is a time warp and you have slept for hours but feel like you didn’t sleep at all!
Heffalump´s last blog post..Sugar Update…
by Heffalump on February 17, 2009 at 11:23 am. #
I’m glad to hear you are feeling a little better. And yes there is a bit of clarity to be found after a particularly rough bit of illness.
I shudder to think what would happen to my home if my two were left alone for 3 hours. I think you fared pretty well. You have some pretty responsible girls there I think.
Jen´s last blog post..cool? yes. crazy? also yes.
by Jen on February 17, 2009 at 12:50 pm. #
Ahhhh, a nap, how was that? I want a nap…
Deklan used to write “X’s” everywhere. One day, he wrote on the wall and was so surprised that we knew it was him, until we pointed out that he had signed his name….
A few days later, I called him downstairs and again accused him of writing on the kitchen cabinets. He denied it profusely, claiming it was Piper, until I reminded him that Piper didn’t know how to write, therefore it was unlikely that she had signed her name to the artwork decorating my cabinet…
“Curses! Foiled Again!”
by Anonymous on February 17, 2009 at 1:21 pm. #
And that was me, being sneaky and anonymous – again
PS my weightloss is a mystery thus the blog satire :)
by Abra on February 17, 2009 at 1:22 pm. #
If I nap, I always wake up feeling discombobulated. I am glad you are feeling a little better, however!
Erin´s last blog post..More Questions, Not Blogging Related
by Erin on February 17, 2009 at 5:06 pm. #
But, but, but … I love naps :) !!
An Ordinary Mom´s last blog post..Let Go Of The Guilt, There Are Seasons In Life
by An Ordinary Mom on February 19, 2009 at 5:45 pm. #
Sounds like they were quite, er, productive ;) I’m glad you got a little rest and I hope you are feeling lots better.
Jaina´s last blog post..Waay Cool
by Jaina on February 20, 2009 at 8:33 am. #