UGH!

It is so hard to sit and watch little ones when they are sick. Breaks your heart as well as your nerves. Having 2 little guys of my own we have had a few illnesses and of course watching two additional little guys, we have had a few more illnesses. Last week everyone was sick. Colds to go around including me! Yuck! But by the end of the weekend everyone was feeling much better. So Monday morning is just getting started as I think, this is going to be a better week. The weather is warm, the sun is out and the kids should all be much improved from last weeks cranky whine fest of sickness. Oh how wrong I was! The first 25 minutes of the morning where just great.....then the vomiting began! One of the little guys I watch was just sitting in his chair at breakfast. I asked him if he was hungry and he said no he wanted to get down. Before I could get up to wipe his hands off he started saying his tummy hurt. The words barely made it out of his mouth before the rest followed! Holy cow! Now out of all 4 kids, this one had been on antibiotics for an ear infection but hadn't suffered much of the runny nose and coughs like the other kids. He was feeling pretty good last week. I guess he decided to make up for it today. Every 20 minutes or so he erupted. First it started with a cry that the tummy hurt, followed by the vomiting, finishing with the high pitched screaming cry. Within minutes it was over and he is sitting sweating and looking so miserable. All morning it continued. Poor soul. I felt so bad and wanted to make it all go away but what can you do but just rub his back and hold a cool rag to his forehead. His mom came to whisk him and his brother home and I was left with the peace of my own two kids. Everything going well until just about dinner time when my oldest started crying that his tummy hurt. Oh no......here we go. He just ran back and forth between the couches crying "It hurts, it hurts." Luckily for me, perhaps unlucky for him we had no "action" to go with the pain. After about 3 1/2 hours, 2 saltine crackers, 4 sips of water, a few gas drops and a phone call to Grandma, he finally settled into bed. Whew! Now as I sit here I am feverently hoping that he stays asleep the majority of the night. It isn't likely I will get to sleep the whole night as the baby still wakes and is trying to learn a new routine (a story for another time) but I can hope it is only the normal nightly wakings and not those of tortured tummy. Either way I will be there to comfort and soothe the best I know how and in the morning my dear friend caffeine will comfort and soothe this tired mom.