Claire and the Littlest Chickmunk

Sorry I have been absent for a while. I have been busy with multiple projects, as usual. Then the kids started getting sick, one by one they have passed a cold along. Claire was the first and had to visit the pediatrician when it became apparent that her cold had progressed to a sinus infection. She missed school last Friday and has started on antibiotics. Then the baby started coughing next, followed by Katie soon after. I got it yesterday.

Katie stayed home yesterday because she had a bad tummy ache. Then Claire came home from school telling me about how she had been in the nurse’s office because her tummy was hurting, too. Claire ended up staying up late because it was obvious she wasn’t going to make it to school the next day.

I made Claire a bed on the couch and started one of her favorite Doris Day movies. After she finished the movie, she requested that I plug in the Wii for her. I didn’t see any harm in that so I went ahead and did it. I also reminded her for the thousandth time that day to blow her nose.

Me- “Claire, for God’s sake, blow your nose!”
Claire, whining her response-“But it hurts my tummy when I do that!”

A few minutes later I noticed Claire jumping around in the living room playing Wii tennis.

Me- “You know, you’re sure not acting very sick.”
Claire- “I am! It just makes my tummy feel better when I go like that.” She demonstrated her serve, showing incredible coordination for a generally clumsy seven year-old.

I made her go to bed around eleven, despite her objections and pleas to sleep with me. I got in bed to watch a movie that wasn’t suitable for children. Close to the end of my grown-up movie, I was drifting in and out of sleep. I was trying hard to finish it but the fatigue from the cold was winning the battle. Just then, I heard the baby coughing a terrible barking cough. Which was then followed by the gagging sound that immediately precedes vomiting. Which was then followed by the vomiting sound accompanied by the splatter of liquid hitting the crib. I ran to Marin just as she was standing up, crying and upset with the mess.

Marin is very particular about her crib. The 18 month-old baby OCD requires that the crib must only possess items that have been pre-approved by the baby. If there is an extra blanket that she has not requested, she will freak. By freak, I do mean freak; standing in her crib expressing her shock and outrage by fussing, crying, screaming and physically removing the offensive baby paraphernalia and tossing it over the side. Then all is right with the world again and she can rest easy. So, as you can see, Marin is very particular for a baby. The vomit did not go over well.

Marin was crying, holding her arms out to be picked up while gesturing wildly at the mess in her bed. She was jabbering in what sounded a bit like Korean with the occasional English “Up!” thrown in. Nothing says more about the love a parent has for a child than the willingness to pick up a vomit covered child. I gave her a bath and got her into fresh jammies. After the baby and the crib were both clean, I put Marin back to bed. Thankfully she slept through the rest of the night without a repeat performance.

Today Claire is home from school and entertaining the baby. A little while ago Claire was telling me about a game she was going to play with Marin. Claire found a baby coat in the closet that was adorned with fake leopard fur along with the matching Russian-style hat. The baby was wearing this over her nightgown.


Claire- “Mommy, me and Marin are going to play chickmunks! And Marin is going to be the littlest chickmunk!”

The baby just stood there smiling, having no idea what was going on but secure in the knowledge that she was cute and loved.