Puking is Two-Parent Job

As a single parent, I have conquered many things, even flying cross country with a 6 month, then an 18 month, than an almost three year old with all of our gear by myself.

But when the stomach holding, gagging and vomiting start, I am at a loss.

• Do you comfort the sobbing child and try to guide his spews toward something washable; or abandon him to grab a bowl/trash can/towel?
• Do you hold him and comfort him or attempt to strip his soiled clothes?
• There is no one to hold him as you rinse him off in the tub....
• To gather dry towels and clean clothes to get him clean, warm and a little less freaked out.
• To fetch crackers, the sippy cup, favorite doggie or right blanket while you rock him.
• To distract him and calm him while you strip the bed and wash the sheets so you leave them.
• To stop the DVD from playing the closing theme over and over as you try to comfort the moans, and you start to hate the Incredibles.
• To calm you and say it is not time to call your sister-in-law pediatrician because he now sobs that his arm hurts too, and you wonder why you did not call for back up earlier.
• To decide at what point you can put down the snoring and moaning child to tend to the mess left in the wake of the past few hours so you sit and rock awhile longer.

But now the blue-blankee wrapped cocoon is asleep across my bed. The washing machine is rumbling below. The house is trashed. But it can wait until.......well tomorrow is Friday. Tomorrow will be another day.