Enforced rest

Today is my third day home from work, because Little Man has the stomach flu.  He is mostly better this morning, but was vomiting as recently as last night, so he's just not ready for a room full of other toddlers at school.  At least not in Mommy's opinion. 

Speaking of Mommy's opinions, I've had several interesting ones in the last three days.  First, I realized once again how much better it is for me not to be a stay at home mommy.  Only 3 days in, and I'm already struggling to make myself get showered and dressed today.  It's just that my PJs are soooooo very comfy!  :)

Second, and in total contradiction of the first, I cherish the flexibility of my schedule that allows me to take care of my child without penalty at work.  Even though we have a wonderful babysitter (3 cheers for Sarah Laptop!), the moment I got her message that Little Man had a fever on Wednesday morning, I started literally yearning to be home with my boy.  Now, Sarah is perfectly capable of caring for Little Man  even when he's sick.  And by the time I got home, she'd done exactly what I would have done: checked his temperature, given him a dose of medicine to reduce his fever, and a popsicle, and snuggled up with him on the couch, with blankey and his favorite cartoon to watch.  So, obviously other people can care for Little Man when he's ill; still, there is something in me, the mommy, that needs to be the one doing it.

Third, I love to snuggle!  Last night my 4-year-old, who is normally virtually unable to sit still, snuggled on my lap for four straight hours.  It was heaven.

Fourth, I remembered why I study at college instead of at home.  In three days, I've been able to read about four pages.  Of course, the mitigating circumstances of rushing Little Man to the toilet or the sink every 15 or 20 minutes might have something to do with it.  On the other hand, it's just plain hard to get into the mindset of studying when the house is messy, Little Man is sick and bored, etc., etc.

So, an enforced rest at home with my Little Man.   Glad for the chance to be nothing but Mommy for a few days.

As Promised...

Sometimes, my burden of long hours of reading is lightened by a gem.  This particular chuckle comes from the Late Period of Akkadian literature, meaning this  incantation is as much as 3,000 years old.  And yet, somehow its age has not stripped the 'giggle factor'.

Against Flatulence
Wind, O wind!
Wind, you are the fire of the gods.
You are the wind between the turd and urine.
You have come out and taken your place
Among the gods, your brethren.

Benjamin Foster, who includes this in his anthology Before the Muses, calls it "one of the few apotheoses of flatulence in world literature."  Indeed.  Certainly a different perspective than ours, to ascribe deity to, ahem, gas.  Well, I hope this adolescent divergence from my usual ramblings has given you a reason to smile, if you needed one.  And the next time you're feeling a little bloated, just think of it as "the fire of the gods"!  :D

On a lighter note...

Check out the size of that dahlia!

I caught it in full bloom at Chatsworth House.

Also got this great shot of my boys working together.

Little Man is turning into quite the little builder.

Anything Daddy does is good in his book!

An early internship.  :)

Actually just a fantastic playground, again at Chatsworth House.

Fish Tales

Ok, so the last fish has died.  Now, I'd like to say that I'm not really bothered by this.  And I truly don't think that I am.  But apparently my subconscious would like to raise a challenge to that statement, because I spent all night last night dreaming about fish. 

I dreamed that I came downstairs to find a brand new, huge aquarium filled with beautiful fish of all kinds.  And then suddenly I knocked it over!  And I spent the rest of the night searching for fish all over the room.  The carpet was a bright, multi-coloured tapestry, and everywhere I looked there were fish of all sizes and colours, gasping for breath.  I just kept picking them up and putting them into water.  Eesh.

We still have a voucher for replacement fish.  But I seriously wonder whether we should bother.  We've tried Betta fish and Paradise fish, both reputed to be hearty little creatures.  We have yet to try a basic goldfish, and I'm willing to give it a go.  But it seems maybe the right thing to do, at least from the perspective of the fish population, is to give it up.  What's your vote?  Leave a comment and help us decide!