Monday, May 14, 2007

Under Pressure - Part III

Let me just say now that I’ve never been a fan of my birthday, as historically they’ve been a bit of disappointment. Like my 17th which was spent in the hospital as my grandmother lay dying (she passed away two days later). Or my 21st which took place in Philadelphia at the Dad Vails regatta which we lost (owing to some foot-stretchers breaking 11 meters from the start – just outside the breakage zone) and all my friends forgot (despite my having reminded them for months) only to remember belatedly so that I got to drive from Philly to Chicago in a school van with the worst hangover ever. Or my 29th where I had to pull an all-nighter to finish a take-home econometrics exam and grade some finals for my TA class. I could go on, but I think you get the gist.

Anyway, this year’s birthday is in a class all of its own. After spending the day attempting to care for both my ailing son and husband, I too succumbed to whatever it was that had completely incapacitated Allen, about a half hour after I got Owen to sleep. Fortunately, Owen slept through the night and I borrowed some of Allen’s anti-nausea medicine which got us through to six am, but then Owen woke and promptly threw-up on me after nursing at which point we called Allen’s mom and asked if she could watch Owen during the day since neither of us could handle caring for him. She happily swooped in to take Owen off of our hands for the day, so Mom Mom deserves some extra Mother’s Day props!

We appear to be on the mend now, though I think we’re all going to stay home tomorrow just to make sure. And so ends the story of my first Mother’s Day as a mother and my 34th birthday (which I don’t feel should count). Let us all hope that the pressure doesn’t get to us the next time my birthday and Mother’s Day coincide.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sorry about your birthday and your first Mother's Day. Hopefully, you will bounce back soon, and get the day you deserve.

Remember your 20th birthday? That wasn't so bad, was it?

Steve

Anonymous said...

Elaine according to my rules, you're really only 31. Sucky birthdays simply do NOT count. Hope you feel better soon. :)

Marlo

Nabeel said...

I hope everyone recovers. A birthday is just strange celebration of managing to breath for one more revolution around the sun, no worries.