The Upside of Staying Home Today

Clarkie had a tummy-thing last night, so we kept him home from school and I didn't want the sitter to come back around him (since she is on vacation next week).  This meant that I would stay home.  I sort of dreaded the idea because I feared what the morning would bring.  You see, after I posted on the blog yesterday afternoon, Clark woke up from his nap and had gotten sick.  He seemed OK, but I wanted him to take it easy.  My plans for dinner (which I had been working on while they napped) had to shift to milder, blander foods (you know, the BRAT diet - bananas, rice, applesauce and toast).  I made a big pot of white rice and made got a few bananas in the freezer for popsicles later.
In the meantime, the kids were playing nicely in the playroom.  I was on the phone and heard Clark sort of whine that his tummy hurt, so I headed in to check on him.  As I approached him, I got a big "Hi Mommy!" just before getting hit with projectile vomit.  From. Across. The. Room.  Sweet.  My response of "Aaagghhh!" was even better since I hung up the phone and the girls went into hysterics since they didn't understand what had happened.  I was calm after that initial shock, but the trauma of seeing him get sick was a little much and poor Kendall was a wreck. 
Fortunately, Auntie Karen could come over to just help manage things while I tried to clean up the room (and myself) and get the girls fed.  I prepared the second load of "sick tummy laundry" as well.  Good times.  I was also relieved that she could run out and grab some Gatorade before she went home. 
Once the girls were done eating and happily parked in front of a zoo movie, I worked on getting just a little something in Clark's tummy since he indicated that he was hungry.  He giggled when he had a couple of sips of ginger ale because he has never had a bubbly drink.  And he loved the watered-down Gatorade in the little Dixie cup. 
We waited for Daddy to get home before attempting baths and then got him to bed.  I was so happy that he didn't have any other episodes and slept well through the night.  Today he seems interested in food but we are still taking it easy.  It seems that it was just a 24-hour thing and we are hopeful that the our antics with washing hands, changing clothes and trying not to share drinks will help prevent the spread of the dreaded tummy bug, but we shall see.
The weather here is just beautiful and we were able to spend some time outside, though I hated the "coming inside meltdown" that ensued.  I bribed them with banana popsicles, but had to put Emma in her room because she just wouldn't stop the meltdown.  Mommy really needs to learn how to manage those situations better because I just end up trying to yell over her screaming and that is never productive.  Guess I need to get back to reading Screamfree Parenting again.

So here are pics from "the upside" because it really was fun: