Mommy Choices

It all started with a pointed exchange of ideas.

"You can't wear that to church, Sarah."

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAH! But I WAAAAAAAAAAAAAANT to!" (upper registers of exclamation make the dog run for the door.)

"No. You have to trust me on this one. Pink polka dots with brown sequins and blue tights is too much of a fashion statement. Sorry. Now, if you want to wear the brown dress with tights and your little boots, that's fine."

"AWWWWWWWWW!" (stomp, stomp.) Silence.

A few minutes later, Sarah barges into the bathroom where I am ... indisposed. "Mom?" she queries in a tiny voice. "I don't feel good. I'm gonna barf."

Her face does look a bit pale, but no fever. It does explain the earlier drama, however. So I make a mommy choice. "Okay, why don't you put your jammies back on and crawl back in bed."

Husband snorts. "You realize she's just doing that because she doesn't want to go to church."

"Maybe." Or maybe not. Ten minutes later, I check on her and found her in her jammies and back in bed.

Five minutes after that, Craig left with Chris, who protested having to go to church without his sister. Ten minutes after THAT, Sarah asks to take a bath ... and starts wretching into the toilet.

What do you know. Mommy instincts were right -- she really was sick!

Now, I have to say, cleaning kiddie barf off the living room rug (30 minutes later; she missed the bucket) is among my least-favorite mommy jobs. Even when it's a measure of vindication. And even when it means that the week ahead of me (which is already over-extended due to multiple commitments) is destined for a major reshuffling.

Sometimes, a Mommy has to trust her instincts. Even when everyone else says its something else.

Photo credit: Columbus Parent