On Sunday we were invited to some friends' house for a dinner party. We'd been looking forward to it for weeks, and were very disappointed when the party was canceled because the wife half of our friends had contracted that fun gastroenteritis that's been going around. Patrick talked to her husband, who suggested that we and the rest of the would-be party come over for dinner anyway. It wouldn't be the fancy spread that was planned, but we could all get together exchange gifts, and watch a Christmas movie. Patrick said to count us in.
When he told me about this, I hesitated. I was nervous to take Colin into an apartment where people had recently been sick; it seemed like I was asking for trouble. More specifically, I felt that to do so would be to risk or sacrifice Colin's health so that I could hang out with my friends.
I took this issue up with several people, but ultimately the decision was mine. I decided that, since our friend was feeling better, we would go and I would just ask everyone to be careful around the baby.
FAIL.
I cleanly forgot that, though people might be careful with the baby, they might not be careful around the baby's parents. Patrick woke up this morning at 3am with the neat little gastroenteritis. Though I have kept Colin as far away from Patrick as I could today, we are all together in the same house. Before Patrick's symptoms presented, we were all three snuggly and touchy and sharing silverware and such. I feel like this was the first big test of Are You Mature Enough To Be A Suitable Parent. My grade: F.
I knowingly put my baby and my family in a potentially hazardous environment in order to see my friends. What is wrong with me? Oh, I know. I am lonely and a little desperate for adult interaction. This need apparently trumps my desire to keep my little Turnip safe.
I am particularly grumpy about this because, since Patrick was sick last night and we were unsure how my and Colin's health would turn out, we had to cancel our own Christmas party that we'd been looking forward to for weeks. We spent a bunch of money on food and good wine, we've had the menu planned for ages, and I was up until 3am last night washing the china and champagne flutes. Catch that irony? Just as I was heading to bed, Patrick started with his illness. And woke the baby. Who didn’t go back to sleep and wanted to nurse for the next 18 hours. So, I say, I am especially grumpy and mad at myself for being selfish because if I hadn't been an idiot, I'd be rested and having a merry ol' time at our dinner party. FAIL.
Dec 23, 2008
Motherhood FAIL
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 Readers rock!:
These things happen! Just think, you are making his immune system tough, unlike these clean-freak moms that use antibacterial EVERYTHING and don't let their kids do a darn thing outside of a sterile bubble. It's not like you decided to smoke crack instead of remembering to feed him or something ;) Adult contact is important, and keeps you sane!
Hope everyone is better soon. And that you get some of that good wine into you and some interesting interactions :-)
Oh, that sucks. Not your fault though...for heaven's sake, your husband works in a hospital. Where there are a lot of sick people. It was just a matter of time before he brought something home, so it doesn't really make sense to worry about the relatively tiny risk at a friend's house. Unless the friend had, like, typhoid or something. Then you should feel kind of bad.
Post a Comment