Sometimes, writing posts like todays make me nervous that people will think I’m not a good mom, and that everyday tasks are too hard for me. Please don’t think that about me. I work incredibly hard to be an incredible mom, and in blatant honesty, I do not ace it very often at all, if ever! But none of us are perfect, so please refrain from judging, if you can, and rejoice in our small victory this morning.
The fam jam is still down for the count over here. I was feeling a little bit of relief yesterday, on a few less meds, and then in the evening, I don’t even know what happened but I coughed and choked like I have NEVER before. I swear, if this sickness doesn’t give me a hernia, I am officially unbreakable. Unfortunately, because of that, I woke up in much more pain than I was in yesterday. It wasn’t a great start. But we all slept in nicely, so thats a win. Dekker and Rowan weren’t fevering, just both very snotty and coughing a lot. Laela had a pretty solid fever, yet again, and is also coughing and snotty. All of that being said, though, they ate good breakfasts, and their spirits seemed to lift with food. As I fed Rowan and the big ones ate, I considered what jobs I should do around the house. I’ve been feeling way too gross these days, and everything housework-wise has kind of taken a hit. So I scanned the rooms and saw stacked dishes, a dirty floor, laundry, and everything else. And I decided to tackle something that, in our house, is WAY bigger than housework.
Baths.
I you’ve been reading long enough, you’ll know that Dekker was TERRIFIED of baths and water and anything related to the matter. We tried every angle on how to make it better, but it just didn’t improve. It became a wrestling match every single time, while he screamed bloody murder and flailed and fought. Anything he had ever learned about respect and listening and obedience flew out the window at bath time and Dekker would just panic. It was awful. It has very gradually improved, but he still hates the bath. None of our kids much care for the bath, honestly, but they all prefer to bathe together. Somehow, that helps. So thats what we do. Its very cute, but its an undertaking. Because bathing Dekker became too difficult for me back in the day (I was very pregnant with Laela and could no longer really physically control Dekker in the tub) Brady had taken baths over, and he’s sort of just been the bath man of the house! Its a lovely gift that he gives me, for which I am SO grateful.
But today, I figured I should give it a go. Since our kids hate the bath as much as they do, we haven’t bathed them much since they’ve been sick. I know its really good for them, but it would be awful for them, and we just haven’t wanted to work them up enough to get them all hot and bothered and fevered. It sounds like I’m making excuses, but I’m not. They need no embellishment.
So after breakfast, I gave them good warning, and informed them that we’d be having a bath soon. Whining all around. Thats fine, I rolled with it. We talked options. Would Dekker rather bathe by himself? No. What about a bubble bath? I don’t waaaaant that! Fine. Once it was clear I couldn’t really please him, he offered up “I guess I can try” and that was it! I ran the tub, grabbed diapers and fresh jammies, a comb, glasses cleaner, etc., and hauled everyone into the tub.
Three words. Ready? Tear. Free. Bath. That is an ENORMOUS achievement, if I do say so myself! It was amazing. They all laughed and smiled and no one fussed or struggled. They played toys and we shaped their hair into funny shapes with the shampoo. They poured water on Rowan and he sputtered defencelessly. It was actually fun! They loved it. They cried when they had to come out, but my one hangup was that the longer they stay in, the colder they are when they come out, and I don’t want to mess with fevers. Especially Laela. Not playing favorites here AT ALL, but I was very prone to fevers as a kid, and she appears to take after me in lots of ways. She fevers long and hard, and she’s also very slight, and gets chilled fast. Her lips are often blue when we pull her out of the tub. That was me. So I got Rowan out, changed, dressed, and combed first. Laela was next, which she was VERY upset about, but she recovered once she was dressed and combed as well. Dekker came out last but he wanted to drain the tub and put the toys into the basket first. Then he came out and towelled himself off and we talked about how fun the bath was that it wasn’t so bad at all. He assured me “I liked the bath!”
Finally, all three kids were washed and dried and in fresh underwear/diapers, jammies, with their hair combed. No more boogers plastered to their faces or in their hair. All clean. And happier than before! Win!
After baths, they had lunch, and shortly thereafter they went down for naps, all fresh.
I hope they sleep so well, because at least for me, it feels like a ran a marathon. I know I didn’t, I just bathed my kids, its not a huge endeavour. But it is, kind of. My body positively aches from being sick for so long. My legs, and rib cage, and back, and everywhere else. And then, I spent I don’t even know how long on my hands and knees, washing my kids in the most pleasant and funny way possible, dressing them, and keeping them entertained and happy. I feel incredibly accomplished to have completed such a big task and come out on the other side with happy kids!
Now that they are in bed, though, my body is already screaming at me for doing what I did, so I will go rest it in bed. But I will rest happy. I am achy, but its a good rewarding ache 🙂 I earned this one.