Tuesday, January 13, 2009

If I Don't Laugh, I Will Cry

Intestinal distress has come to visit our house. I've written and re-written this post, trying to find the right tone, but I just couldn't bring myself to list Dinner Last Night after "joking" about cleaning up everyone's vomit and diarrhea.

I finally decided to forget about trying to be funny—even though I loved my line, poorly crafted as it was, about "shrieking, nudity, and the smearing of excrement from one end of the room to the other that heretofore hasn't been seen since poor souls were assigned to psych wards during the 1800s"—and will let this picture speak for itself.

Penitent and Pitiful

This is my kinda sorta potty-trained daughter. She's in a diaper, because she was having a horrible bout of diarrhea. She's in the corner, because . . . well, I told her to "go sit over there" while I cleaned up her . . . um, leakage . . . all over the carpet. I didn't yell at her, and I certainly didn't tell her to put her nose in the corner. I just needed her out of the way so she didn't step in . . .  er, it . . . or bend down and touch . . . ack, it . . , as she is wont to stick her index finger into anything gross that she happens to come across.

She has a little friend whose mom uses the time-out method, so maybe my girl is giving herself a time-out in the corner? I'm not sure what she was thinking, but she broke my heart with her sweet little apology. She stood there so still and quiet, rubbing her fingers together in distress.

Being the good mom that I am, I rushed right over and gave her a hug to grab my camera and take this photo. You're welcome.




Dinner last night: sorry, I still can't bring myself to mention food in this post.


7 comments:

MrsM said...

Josh would be shouting from the rooftops with glee if he saw this photo. haha

He has actually tried to tell a friend of mine how to parent her 3 year old.

Funny thing is he never did tell your older girls. They just loved the idea of punishing the poor twins the same way when they saw him in the corner. hehehe. Grandma kept having to tell Allison she is not to discipline the twins!

Great photo, haha.

Kim said...

That is too cute.

Michele said...

Poor sweetie. You, not your daughter. This, too, will pass. (npi)

I can't laugh at this post at all, our own experience with the most explosive and persistent diarrhea in history being too recent.

My favorite advice to my kids springs to mind - That which does not kill us makes us stronger.

These are the times that try moms' souls...

God bless your day!

twinmamabee said...

Oh how sweet she is!!!

I am sorry she is feeling bad with the yucky stuff. Never fun for them or for us moms!

Why is that children do not understand there are such things as gross stuff that we shouldn't touch? Nothing is gross to a little one. I try to point and say, "ew, dirty" or "ew, yucky" when they are about to do something very foul, but it is just words to them. The concept is totally lost.

When Jelly Bean got really sick a few months ago and was doing the other thing (I hate to say the words it grosses me out), she would cry and I would rock her and tell her I was sorry she was sick. She picked up on sorry and now says sorry all the time. They really do pay attention.

Lana@The Kids Did WHAT?! said...

Awe. Poor little peanut. I hate misunderstandings like that!
Hopefully everyone feels better soon!!

glitzen said...

Awwwwww, that is the most pitiful and adorable picture. Sorry for your "bout" of awfulness...ugh and double ugh.
Get well soon! :)

Helene said...

I know what you mean...you have to find the humor in situations like this or you will cry for days over it!! She's so sweet...she put herself on a time-out and didn't realize that's not what you meant....I just find that so sweet.

I hope she's feeling better soon!!