Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Tough Guy, Eh?

I thought I was pretty much okay with anything my daughter could throw at me. I've been puked, pooped, peed, snotted, drooled and cried on. I have accidentally stuck my finger into dirty diapers and walked around with spit-up on my shirt for the better part of a day before realizing it. I have mocked my husband when he gagged as he changed a poopie diaper. I have told him off in language so colorful it is not appropriate for a family blog when he woke me up to ask me to change a poopie diaper because he "just didn't think he could take it." For a time there, I even thought her poop smelled good. Which now sounds absolutely ridiculous, but I'm telling you a diaper full of exclusively breastmilk-fed poo is really not so bad. All in all, I thought I was pretty tough.

Then I took Sophie out to lunch today.

It all started innocuously enough. I was 15 minutes late, as usual, despite having left in plenty of time to get there punctually. I did not, however, leave with enough time to get halfway there only to realize I didn't have any food or drinking implements for Sophie, necessitating a return trip home. Once settled in at the restaurant, though, things were actually going pretty well. Sophie was nibbling on a tortilla chip and being her cutie patootie self, hamming it up for her grandparents and aunts. She continued to be good, eating a whole container of Yo Baby, or as I like to call it, yogee. Because everything gets shortened and ends in an "ee" these days. Hence, diapee changes. I know, pathetic. Anyhoodle, our food comes and she takes one of the french fries off my plate and eats it. I'm over the moon. She's eating real food! Then she takes another one. And another. I think it might have been the fourth one when we ran into a snag. And by snag, I mean she threw it all up.

This is when I discovered that watching chunks of a virtually unchewed version of what I am at that very moment eating come flying out of my daughter's mouth, along with a whole mess of other things, completely turns my stomach. So much so, that once we had her cleaned up, I was barely able to finish eating. I can tell you, I didn't eat any more french fries. AND I passed on dessert, for maybe the first time ever.

Meanwhile, my father-in-law was cupping a napkin under her mouth to catch the spew with one hand while still eating with the other hand.

Now THAT is tough.

16 comments:

  1. Grammy had it covered. Wow, I can see how that would curb your appetite. But as much as I like food I probably would have taken Grams approach and continued eating.

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  2. Your father-in-law wins...he is amazing. Be sure to regale Sophie with this story when she's old enough to appreciate it.

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  3. I worked in a daycare nursery for a while, with one other mom and a bunch of college kids. You could tell who was who when the kids puked - the mom's would reach out and grab it (hands being easier to clean than carpet) and the college girls would RUN!!

    GREAT post by the way... gonna go read more!!!

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  4. I have so been there, actually Claire did this on Saturday at a resturant and Hayden did this last night at home. I was not able to eat anymore dinner but later I was able to have cake.

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  5. It's so timely that you write this Cara. I, like you, consider myself pretty staunch when it comes to dealing with all things Kyleigh. However, on Sunday, while changing a not incredibly nasty diaper, I began heaving and could not stop. I had to beg Rob to take over, ran into the bathroom and (argh)threw up. Now, I know I'm 39 weeks pregnant, but still...I NEVER! So embarrassing!! Rob just laughed at me, cause I'm the woman that "never throws up".

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  6. It's a total gamble with what your kid hands (or spits/throws/spews at) you. Another day, you may have been doing the same as your FIL, withiout batting an eyelash. Motherhood is quirky like that!

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  7. Your father-in-law must have been military. That's a harrowing story of intestinal fortitude! I hate puke. I hate puking myself, and I hate other people's puke. I gained more weight when I was pregnant than I would have because I was continually eating my morning (all day) sickness away so I wouldn't throw up.

    Sorry about the desert. That's a major drag.

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  8. Oh boy...I myself, do NOT deal well with puke. I can change poopie diapers til the proverbial cows come home, but puke, NOT SO MUCH. I can't say I've ever had to deal with one of my kids throwing up in public (although one of them did have diarreah at Friendly's once--YUCK!) so you have my sympathies on that one my friend! I'm glad you had a little help!

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  9. Yeah, that'd do it for me. It wouldn't even matter what I was eating, it would stop me in my tracks.

    I tell the kids I deal with that I'm not a mom so I don't have to deal with puke, poop, or loose teeth. That's what a mom's for!

    Oh, and your ads on the side for adult diapers. Hmmm...

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  10. She has tough genes. Super tough.

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  11. I have been thrown up on big time, but never in public. The detail about your father-in-law is awesome.

    By the way, we also serve "yogee" and change "diapees" at our house.

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  12. You do toughen up as they grow. Your father in law has probably seen it all by now.

    Or Not. Some people just don't do well with puke. My husband is the one watching at the doorway while the children retch in the toilet, about vomiting himself. I am the one who has to pull their hair back and clean it up.

    I have to commend you though, if you enjoyed breastmilk poo smell. That in itself that's some guts:)

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  13. Unfortunately, I have had many a meal like that! I always try to have a receptacle handy when the tell-tale gagging starts--but I'm not always so quick on the draw!

    On the plus side--at least he was eating! I hope there's more of that--minus the throwing up-in her future!

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  14. I think my oldest did that the first time we fed him real food (also at a restaurant). Your father-in-law must be some sort of super hero!

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  15. WoW! Your FIL is like a super hero! That's really quite a feat! lol. It is!

    Look at it this way...you probably saved like 500 calories on passing up those fries. lol.

    Isn't it funny when kids puke, it's like "when did they eat all that stuff?" Cuz it looks like so much more comes OUT than went in? lol

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  16. I'm thinking you hooked up with Mr. Right, for sure...after all, the Father-in-law!!! I personally don't see how he continued on, but anyway. What a great story. It'll get even better with time as most reeeeallly good stories do! :)

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Give me some sugar, baby!