Unconditional Love

As a parent, one learns very quickly about unconditional love. I remember when Josie was first born and realizing that feeling of love for my child that mother's talk about as being immeasurable and indescribable. Indeed, they were right. There isn't a thing that I wouldn't do for our either of our girls. I love them when they are happy and silly, when they are sad, when they are dirty, and when they say something absolutely heart-warming and sweet. I even love them when they yak all over me.

Yes, that's right. Yak. Puke. Vomit. Barf. Whatever you want to call it, we are experiencing it in high volume. Little Miss Norah who has been relatively healthy her first year of life, has come done with the stomach virus -- complete with glassy eyes, high fever, fitful sleeping, and unpredictable vomiting. Ew. We got the call from daycare on Tuesday that she was sick... she "got sick" three times in the half hour it took me to cancel my day and get to her. By evening, her fever was spiking around 103. 5. Early in the evening, we bathed her, trying to clean off the nastey puke smell, while also hoping to lower her temp. I am not sure we succeeded on either issue. By 9:00pm, it finally happened... she emptied the entire contents of her stomach (which really, considering she hadn't eaten all day, was quite a bit) right on top of me. Ew, ew, ew. And yet more than "ew," all I wanted to do was make it better for our baby girl. Yes, I was gross. Yes, I smelled. Yes, I was fighting my own gag-reflex. But that unconditional love popped into action and all I wanted to do was comfort this sick little girl who was just so obviously miserable.

Well, that isn't totally accurate. I wanted someone (read: Eric) to comfort her while I took a shower. But as soon as I got out of the shower, I was ready to take over again!

So for the past two days, we have been busy caring for our sick little girl while also trying to balance the ongoing life of our healthy 6-year-old. There has been lots of rocking in the rocking chair... another act of love when her head is so close to your nose and the poor thing just stinks to high heaven. There have been many late night Norah-sessions -- thankfully Josie can sleep through just about anything! And there have been many changes of clothes for both Norah and her parents. But through it all, more than being grossed out, more than being frustrated that work isn't getting done, more than being at a loss for what Norah needs, I just want to hold her and love on her, and let her know she isn't alone.

After all, I am her mama and that is just what mamas do.