Instafriday boo.

Today encompassed so much of what it is to be a mom....

I sit here, kids finally asleep, me exhausted - but knowing I fulfilled one of the most important roles I have as a mom.

Comforter.

I was woken up around 3:00 am this morning by my 5 year old son because he was throwing up. He was scared, his stomach was in pain, and he was obviously very sick. I cleaned up (the first of many clean ups) and due to the number of times he got sick I ended up laying with him in bed until 6:00 am. We moved downstairs but it didn't end there. Because he couldn't eat, or even keep down water, the dry heaves began. And after every one, he would collapse into my arms crying, and then I would cry too.

Being a mom is not for the faint of heart.

We eventually moved back upstairs and I put him in our bed and laid with him and continued to clean him up and comfort him. Somewhere in there was a call to the pediatrician and she explained that it was a gastrointestinal virus and the vomiting should subside around 6-12 hours.

We were at hour eight so I was hopeful.

Nine hours in, the vomiting slowed but the diarrhea started... enough to have to put a pull up on my 5 year old boy. "I know I'm not in trouble, right mom?" My heart broke. I reassured him everything was okay, it just was the best idea all things considered.

Thankfully, my husband was around to sit downstairs with my daughter so I could focus 100% on my sick boy. It is a horrible place to be when you can't help your child. Horrible.

By late afternoon, Noah was able to keep fluids down, and even began to laugh at the TV, so I knew we had turned a corner. At 8:30 he fell asleep, after a grueling 17 hour day.

Being a mom is one of the hardest things to do in the world sometimes, but on a day when your child is sick and all they want is you, and you can be there to hold them, cuddle them, pray for them, and clean them up - well, there's no place else I'd rather be.

Starting out the morning downstairs

My view from the floor next to our bed - I camped there for awhile when it didn't work well to be on the bed right there with him

The laundry that was done in the wake of today. And there is more washing right now since Darren has since been hit with the bug.

No, not a red carpet, just a towel walkway to cover where I will need to clean sometime this weekend.