These Kids Nowadays
A few weeks ago I had to make a run to the shops, as we were low on, oh, everything. I had picked the twins up from the nursery and they told me that Nora had been running a slight temperature and seemed quiet. I gave her a cuddle and a promise that the shopping would be quick. It would be – it had been a long damn day and I was exhausted and she looked exhausted and Nick was fairly seriously bored with the whole thing and none of us wanted to detour to the shops. But food beckoned, and since I was not feeling at my Julia Child best, I knew that I had to buy something for their tea.
Parked in a toddler trolley and me whizzing through the shops and near-lightning speed, I got the bare essentials of what we needed. Nora kept holding on to my hand and whimpering lightly. I kissed the side of her head and went to the checkout line.
“Mama,” she said softly, and then in classic comic film motion she opened her mouth and spewed vomit everywhere. She held her hand up underneath it in that classic child “I can catch it!” pose, which instead served as a font of stomach acid, splattering me, Nick, and the entire floor in front of the trolley.
Luckily since becoming a mum I’m never without wet wipes and nappies, so I cleaned her and Nick up as best I could. There was nothing I could do for the floor so I sidestepped it. We were nearly to the front of the queue and the damage had been done anyway, there was nothing to do but press ahead and pay.
Two women came up behind me with their trolley.
“Goodness, what is that stench?” one of them whittered.
“It smells like sick! Someone’s been sick here! How disgraceful!”
And they went on and on and on and yes it was gross that my kid threw up but she’s two and unlikely to have caused it on purpose. They clocked us, a veritable forcefield of stench. They opened their mouth to speak to me but the look on my face must have screamed “Sense of Humor Failure” and they let it lie.
I paid quickly and got us to the car. I raced home, the entire car smelling like a post-keg party. Two blocks from the house Murphy’s Law came into play, and once again Nora puked all over herself and her car seat. Nora burst into tears. Nick looked amazed. As soon as we got to the house I raced to get her out of the car.
We got inside the door and I took a look at my daughter – she was literally soaked to the skin with puke. I couldn’t get her shirt off without getting the vomit all over her head and neck, so I reached for a pair of scissors.
Nora looked up at me. Her lower lip trembled as she saw the scissors. Huge tears welled in her eyes. “Upsy Daisy?” she whispered.
And I twigged it – Nora was wearing her favorite Upsy Daisy shirt. If I cut it, she would be in bits over the loss. So I whipped the shirt off her head – covering her in vomit and likely leaving her mildly scarred for life – and off to the bathtub we went.
It was a long damn day.
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Nick has been a real challenge. He screams “NO!” at you at absolutely every turn. Yet there are signs that this is just a phase. Last night I made naan breads, and I felt his warm form beside me in the kitchen. A little finger would periodically reach up to the kitchen counter and make a fingermark in the flour. I’d then hear a giggle beside me.
I could get used to baking help like his.
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Nick and Nora have reached a stage where they say something and you must acknowledge it. It’s not enough to say “Yes”, or “Really?”, or any platitude of the sort. You must verbally interact with them because they will repeat it until the end of time until you do. It’s relentless.
On the drive home today:
Nick: Mama, black car!
Me: (not focussing on their backseat babbling but half-listening to the radio). Yes.
Nick: Mama, black car!
Me: Mmm-hmmmm.
Nick: Mama, black car!
Me: I see.
Nick: Mama, black car!
Me: Really?
Nick: Mama, black car!
Me: OK! I GOT IT! Black car, yes, that’s a black car Nick! Black car! Enough black car!
Silence.
Then:
Nick: Mama, blue car!
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I drove Nick and Nora to nursery this morning, and Nick was dawdling and just being very dreamy and walking along with his head in the clouds. Nora kept urging him forward, and at one point offered a small shove to get him to keep walking. I told her off for it, and went about taking their coats off and putting their slippers on. I said hi to the nursery workers, kissed the twins goodbye, and headed for the door. I turned around for one last look and saw Nora standing there, looking incredibly sad. Usually she and Nick are headfirst into the toys, laughing and forgetting about me the instant I drop them off. I knew she was sad because she’d just been lectured, and I also knew that going to her would send the message of “Oh, it’s ok, go ahead and shove your brother”.
But I could not walk away.
I walked back into the room and kneeled down.
“Come here my darling,” I said, opening my arms. She flew to me and went straight into my arms, wrapping her arms around me and pressing her head into my neck.
“Mummy,” she whispered softly.
It’s a moment I will carry with me forever.
-S.
PS- Last week I bought a dress for £60, down from £350. It’s a beautiful dress and when I saw it I thought it was perfect. And it is. And it’s going to be my wedding dress.
I always feel bad for little ones when they are sick! Poor Nora, I hope she’s feeling better!
OOh, nice teaser there in the PS… can’t wait to see it :-)
I have happy tears in my eyes, for you.
Oh my. My heart just swelled to the point of breaking reading this entry. I’m so glad you’re a Mummy as you seem to have been born to be one. You really appreciate the little things that are all pieces of the Big Thing. I’m thankful you share these moments with us.
Poor kiddo. I hope she feels better soon. And how on Earth can vomiting be disgraceful? What, like it was a morally repugnant decision? Yes, mummy’d better give darling little Nora a good talking-to! I hope they learn a bit more compassion before their next bout of food poisoning.
MD is holding my past (of having deceptively large follies and yet immature eggs) against me and postponed my retrieval to Wednesday. Oog.
Must. See. Dress. (Note: all sentences that could be spoken by zombies are automatically the most imperative of imperatives.)
Oh the stories melt my heart.
Great news about the dress! So is it Watford Gap, Knutsford or Sandbach motorway services for the big day?!
I comfort my kids when they get in trouble. As I hug them, I tell them that what they did was wrong but I still love them. We are a pretty happy family with not too much misbehavior so far! (At 5 and 3.)
Yes, obviously one *chooses* to vomit in a supermarket – especially when one is two and a bit poorly! Honestly, poor wee soul! Nick’s “no” reminds me of my nephew, who is the same age. He can be charming and loving, but has also greeted my appearance by turning to his mother while pointing at me and saying “Get him away”. I like to think that getting my gender wrong was a toddler error, but I’m not so sure :-).
We had the vomit a couple of weeks ago. At home, in a restaurant, and then in bed. Those were some awesome times.
The car is the hardest to clean — it makes you wish you could just throw the whole thing in the washer. Great post, and fantastic ending! Can hardly wait to see it.
Thanks for the kid update! And yay for your dress! Can’t wait to see it.
RE: pulling the vomit-covered shirt over her head…sometimes there is just no good choice. Poor Nora. How miserable.
Yay! on the dress find! Can’t wait to see it.
Ahhhh..the glamour of motherhood! When Kelsey was 4 or so, we had gone into a Kmart to buy a little hibachi grill. We stood around in the department forever, trying to find help. I got bypassed by 3 people, who told me they’d send the person working in that department. No luck. Next thing I knew, my daughter threw up all over the grills. I had nothing to clean it with, so looked around trying to find someone who worked there – still no luck. I didn’t want to leave it, but couldn’t find anyone, so I went to the customer service counter – and again – no employees there. I waited 15 minutes, with my kid whining because she needed to throw up again. Finally, I just left.
And THAT did not top the time she was a toddler and threw up in her carseat, and then started choking on it, WHILE I WAS DRIVING. UGH.
Parenting is NOT for the weak.
At least it was only one child vomiting. Thankfully sweet little Nick isn’t weak stomached. In my house if one goes, the other will get sick from watching the other puke. My heart goes out to you. Hope she’s better soon.
Post the dress soon… you know we all sit and stew when you tease us this way. ;)
Vomiting is revolting and all, but it’s not like anyone does it on purpose (well, except for that one kid in my grade school, but that’s another story). I wouldn’t have been commenting on it, I would have been feeling sorry for the poor mom who had to shuttle home a vomit soaked child. Poor Nora, and poor you – Nick was probably just telling you about cars!
Hurray for a dress – and a bargain at that!
Love your stories about Nick and Nora…shame on those stupid biddies in the store to even make a comment when you were trying to manage!
Congrats on your dress! So exciting…I think I’ve found my wedding dress, too…SQUEAL!!
I love these little glimpses into who the babies are becoming! I know I never comment here anymore, only on Flickr but I’m still here- always.
Wonderful news about the dress! oxox
Aw, poor angel! No fun being ill. Good thing Nora has such a great Mummy to make her better. That P.S. was oh so cheeky, madam- when are the nuptials?? So happy for you. You deserve an awesome wedding and an awesome life- you’ve more than earned it.
Aww poor girl. She sounds just like my Nate. How I wish you lived closer so we could have playdates (I know that sounds stalkerish weird, but I really don’t mean it that way). Can’t wait to see the dress!!!!!
I can’t wait to see the dress! I remember having to deal with sick kids and vomit in stores, and while it was horrible, it was preferable to diarrhea in the car. This too, shall pass!
Oh, poor little Nora. And cute little Nora. And yay for you, on so many levels (aside from the vomiting level, of course).
I think you sent the message “It was not okay to shove your brother, but you can be forgiven”- plus it just feels right to take them in your arms :-)
Sorry about the “puke” episode. It wouldn’t be parenthood without a couple of “sick” events. :)
I got sick in a dressing room once and the sales lady started yelling at me and my mom. I was 5. As for the car, I recommend scented candles. I had a friend throw up in my car at 2 a.m. when my father and I were leaving for a 22-hour, cross-country drive at 9:30 a.m. After a steam clean and some serious Febreeze, we left candles lit in the cup holders for the duration of the drive.
Hope Nora is feeling better!
the post made me nod my head in understanding (especially the “no” part and the pause, early morning, while the world stopped and you had your child’s arms wrapped around you, yes…I get that too)
but the last sentence made me gasp……
wonderful….
Now if you could just teach her to aim and puke ON the obnoxious “holier than thou” people at the store next time! :D Congratulations on the dress… do we get to see it? I’m so excited!
Get better wishes to Nora… and hugs. :-)
You know, I’ve gotten used to getting puked on, so last night’s episode wasn’t anything different. I learned to handle the stench without gagging. However, removing the, uhh, chunks still turns my stomach. But my kids finally fell asleep while I sat with them, looking peaceful and content because I was with them. Of course, today I feel and look like death on a bad hair day, but my kids are feeling better.
For the record, I never leave home without opening my arms to all of my children for that farewell hug. No matter how much the day craps on me, it cannot remove that warm feeling inside.
Cannot wait to see the dress! I am so happy for you. Best wishes and many, many happy years.
I want. to see. the dress.
Scott always puked during the night, then would lay in it. Unless I heard him, I wouldn’t discover it until I went to check on him. At that point it would be in his hair, up his nose, and all over the bed-everywhere.
Glad you went and gave your girl a squeeze-those moments are the bestest.
I can relate to several of the above scenarios. Last spring I took Aaron to our usual playgroup and went to pick Eric up at work o his lunch break so I could run an errand while he watched to boy in the car. He wasn’t himself that day and was quiet and whiny and off. 2 minutes after we pikced up daddy he puked all over himself in his car seat. Poor kid.
I hate it when he cries after he’s been scolded, but I don’t want to comfort him as I don’t want to reinforce the negative behavior. Being a parent is tough.
You are an amazing mom, I always knew you would be.
I have to moments of the spontaneous cuddles, the kisses, the twins holding hands like they need each other, watching them play, their incessent promots for ‘Shoes!!! Mama!!! Car!!!! Mama!!!’.
They’re sweet little buggers when they’re not coated in their own bodily fluids, eh?
G
The public vomit outings are almost as much fun as the middle of the night yakfests. Been there done that, have the t-shirt but it got puked on so I threw it out.
LMAO at Nick. My oldest child went through a “Hey Daddy!” phase that was similar.
That “Mummy” bit choked me up,and I didn’t even get the benefit of baby hands around my neck. My Babylove still demands I don’t just acknowledge. He wants conversation, dammit. Heh. I sure hope Nora feels better soon.
Ugh, poor child. Unfortunately puking kids happen, and they don’t always happen at home, or over the toilet. One of those not so nice things about being a parent. But having a child run into your loving arms? Priceless.
Next time either of the babies puke like that, just put them in the shower, clothes and all. Once you get some of the puke off, it will be easier to take off the clothes.
I’m glad you were able to salvage “Upsy Daisy”.
Good thing selective memory lets us forget about the puke-fests and look back fondly and those sweeet moments full of hugs and kisses!
I’m so happy you found that dress, and what a price!
well every mommma has to have a good vomit story for the record books! go ahead and check that box! :-) poor baby girl, i hope she didn’t pass it along to anyone else in the family.
You made me feel bad! All week I have been whinging about the a$$h*le that threw up in the lift at my car park assuming it was someone drunk. It just never occured to me it might be a child! :-o