My Little Hero

I have to say that the last 2 days and nights have been a couple of the worst for me so far this pregnancy. During most of the night I had a good cry (what an oxymoron!) which has left my nose looking like a slightly overheated marshmallow, one of the large ones, and my eyes are just a red puffy mess. Crying really doesn't help but I can't help but cry! I have pretty much been celebrating in my own pity party - and a big one it has been. Then Nathan woke up this morning.

He actually woke up during the night and I rocked him for a few minutes, gave him a drink and he asked for his pillow and bed so I put him back to bed. Since I got back from Utah Sunday night he has been a little whiny and would say "ouwie, ouwie, ouwie" every once in a while but when I asked him what hurt he would shrug his shoulders, always with his hands behind his back, and would go on playing after a hug and kiss. I assumed he was a little constipated because his diapers weren't normal and I had no idea what he had eaten over the weekend while I was gone. So I wasn't too surprised when he woke up during the night but he seemed to go back to bed rather quickly.

Then this morning he slept in until almost 10:00 (8 being normal) and when I went in to get him he was standing in his bed with his head tipped to one side, rubbing the side of his head and saying "ear". I looked and sure enough he had dried bloody puss all over the side of his head and on his sheet. I have been through this enough with Derek to know that his ear had ruptured some time during the night. How did I miss the signs of an ear infection?? I feel aweful that I have been so self-absorbed in my own pity party to even notice that he was hurting. However, to my credit, he is so much like Derek in just enduring pain and playing cheerfully that it is just too late by the time I really know there is a problem. So let me photographically show you what this little guy has done today while enduring an ear infection. Would you suspect a kid in pain?

I was in the kitchen making some lunch and Nathan kept pointing to the food closet and saying "aa-dorn, aa-dorn". I can understand most of what he wants but this one had me confused and his pointing to all of the boxes of crackers and cereal wasn't sending the right message. In frustration he went and got a mixing bowl out of the cupboard, almost crying as he kept saying "aa-dorn, aa-dorn". I'm guessing like crazy, mostly to avoid all the snot that comes with crying, and trying to figure out what he wants. He then pushes a chair over to the microwave and opens it and in a forceful, frustrated voice announces "AA-DORN". "Do you want popcorn?" I asked. With a 'finally mom' sigh and grin he says "uh-huh". When I told this to Erika later today she told me that they had had kettle corn a couple of times over the weekend. Who am I to know, I'm just the mom.

After his nap I was once again in the kitchen (why does it feel like I am always in the kitchen?) when he opened up the silverware drawer and peeking his little eyes just slightly over the top of the drawer kept saying "sing, sing". Well this one wasn't too hard to figure out because he has a habit of taking the whisk and performing for us. Yup, my mommy radar was right and he went through the house singing very loud for me. I think he caught on to American Idol a little to strongly last night. He was rather vocal and had enthusiastic facial expressions to go along with it.

When I pulled off his pants to get him ready for bed I was shocked to find his legs covered in marker. Not just one color but three! The thing that amazes me is that his legs were covered but he only had a couple of blue marks on his pants, which were denim, and it hardly showed. He must have been in Derek's room (he was using the markers for a school assignment) and managed to pull up his pant legs to color his legs and then went on with the day, non of us any wiser to his artwork.

Really, would you suspect this is a kid with an ear infection? It really didn't slow him down any - I'm the one getting to slow to keep up with him. I only wish I could keep trudging through my pain with even an ounce of the joy and curiosity that Nathan puts into his sick days. He really is a mini-hero for me.

This is a little old (if last November is old) but I wanted to share it anyway. This is a typical family home evening activity for us. Try having a spiritual lesson with this entertainer in the house. Nathan and I watched it several times today - which was a much more positive activity than wallowing in my own pity.