Sick Babies and Reminiscing

My boys have been sick this week. Matthew was the first one. Last Monday, he cried and cried saying his throat hurt. After having something to drink and a little breakfast he was feeling much better, his spirits lifted too...he was ready to go to his last day of school. I knew they would be playing at the park that day, so I had him take a bottle of water with to keep his throat moist, if it started hurting again. After I picked him up from school I noticed he was warm. I took his temperature and sure enough, it read 102.8. He was sick the following day and since he was done with school for the summer, we just relaxed at home, making sure he drank lots of fluids. My waif-like child was not eating well (he's 4 1/2 years old, weighing 32 pounds and wearing 2T - sometimes 3T - clothes) and still had a fever the following day. And, he lost his voice.

Then, my oldest son was complaining of a sore throat, and he felt warm. His temperature was 103.1. He stayed home Thursday and Friday, missing 2 days of state-wide standardized tests. sigh. He felt much better yesterday but was still complaining of a cough, sore throat, and even a tummy ache. Tonight after dinner, he said he was going to lay down...that was at 6pm, it's now 9:11pm and he's still sleeping on the couch in only a shirt that he wore all day on this 90 degree day.


My baby started to feel bad on Friday...same symptoms, his fever was only 101.8, compared to the other two's fevers. He kept waking up at night, coughing, crying...poor baby. Last night, I went in to his room to rock him and help him relax. He fell asleep in my arms. I let him sleep, watching his face. Seeing the complete calm expression he had, the peaceful look, the slow breathing, the heavy weight in my arms, how his legs dangled and hung past my thigh I thought, "It won't be much longer and I'll never get to do this with my children again." That makes me sad. I'm content knowing that my family is complete, but it makes me sad to think that I'll never lay on the couch with Daniel sleeping on my chest again. I'll never have Matthew on my hip again, his arm holding onto the back of my shirt. And shortly, I'll never have a sleeping Nicholas cradled in my arms again.



But, then I think of all the new things we're experiencing together. Daniel received his first communion this year. Matthew attended his first year of preschool. Nicholas lived his first year, and may be walking soon...maybe. And, I can't be too sad and reminiscent of those times when my older boys were babies.



Or can I?