and...we're back!

Whew.
When babies pass gas, it's adorable. Even if it's loud, it doesn't stink and you can feel confident that all is right in baby digestion land. Which is why I was shocked, a few nights ago, when Joaquin tooted and it smelled...awful! It was almost bedtime and there was a toot and then a poop and when I changed his diaper is took everything I had not to yell out "PEEEE-UUUUU!!!" I felt saddend by what seemed to be the end of sweet smelling breastfed baby poops, and the beginning of solid food eatin' toddler turds.

We went to bed side by side. At one a.m. I felt my baby stir and when I went to feed him, he lifted his little head and threw up all over the bed. Whoa, I thought, maybe I shouldn't have tried that breastfeeding support tea, I've stuffed the little guy! After changing him and throwing towels on the wet spot, we settled into nursing and fell back asleep. A half hour later I felt him stir once again so I sat him up and he threw up all over the bed, all over me, and all over his pajamas. I woke my husband and told him that I thought something was wrong and that we might have to go to the hospital. Dad sat straight up, scooped up the baby and asked what I wanted him to do. I asked him to go to the store to buy a thermometer. He got dressed, and at two a.m., went to the drugstore and came home with the most expensive baby thermometer they had.

The baby didn't have a temperature and wanted to nurse so I let him. He fell asleep in my lap as I sat up, wide awake in the living room, stressed out of my mind. I would have to wait until 8:30 to talk to the pediatrician. After several calls to the office, I was assured that this was a stomach bug, there was nothing to do but live through it, and make sure he stay hydrated. Thus began the longest 3 days of my life.

Oh...a sick baby has to be one of the top 10 heartbreaking things to watch. As we danced slowly in the dark living room, his body limp, his cries definitely communicating "why", he said for the first time "mama." My heart burst in about 1,000,000 peices. I was once again reminded that I have never before loved quite this much.

This virus ran it's course and after a couple of days he started to show signs that he would be a happy giggly baby again. Today, we laughed, danced, went to swim class and changed several sweet smellin' breastfed baby diapers. We made it, and I am a thankful mama.


Just hours before the stinky toot!