I'm extremely blessed and fortunate. I had no idea what a sick child would be like. This is the first major illness I've experienced with TG. Most of the parents I know have told me their kids have had at least 2 major illnesses before they were 2.
I thought those times she had a little runny nose were the extent of how a kid could be like for a cold. I had no idea.
Granted, it could be worse. TG is verbose and has a large vocabulary which helps us interpret how she feels. Plus her disposition seems to lean towards happy go lucky.
Major signs something is up is she gets very clingy and needy but then again, if I was feeling crummy I'd want to be babied as well.
I think it generally is harder on a Mom than a Dad as Moms are the nurturing one of the two. For us, this means, TG wants to be with me 24/7. Now, if I have to leave, she understands though. It's funny.
For example, this morning, she happily shuffled me off to work. "Bye Bye. See you. Kiss?" She made sure I had my hat and gloves and closed the baby gate as I left the house.
But if both DH and I are with her, she automatically wants me to be with her.
This elicits sometimes mean and sometimes in humor comments from DH. "And again, Dad is chopped liver." "Dad's always get the short end of the stick." "Just because you gave birth, Moms get all the glory."
I can live with those.
"This is what you wanted." "See what breastfeeding does?" "You insisted on co-sleeping." Those not so much. I'm not sure what he means by that. I wonder if that's just passive aggressive displacement of his idealized image of toddlers independence. In the end, it makes me feel as if he didn't want to sign up for this crazy ride and that he's questioning my parenting ideals. It's not a good feeling. I try to tell myself it's his way of being funny. Don't take it personal, PG. That lessens the sting, a little.
"It will be a glorious day when we can watch a movie with her and we can nap while she watches."
"I don't think that's how it actually work."
"Come on. How many parents take a nap while their kid watches Snow White."
