Gross Out Moments
December 2, 2007
Okay, so yesterday I talked about some of the best things about being a mom, but there also times when being a mom is downright disgusting. Do not continue reading if you are easily grossed out by baby snot or if you happen to be pregnant and queasy.
Eian has a cold, and while most of the worst of it (fever, fussiness, waking seven times per night) is over, he’s still really snotty. I was feeding him one of his favorite foods: pureed avocado and yellow squash. The avocado really takes over the color of this baby food, making it mostly a bright green. Anyway, he had a mouth full of avocado and sneezed. In less than two seconds, he went from cute baby eating to horrible, disgusting baby covered in green slime. To make matters worse, he actually did sneeze out a long ribbon of snot. Good times.
It’s these moments, the times when most non-mother people would just leave the little ogre by the roadside, that I really understand the bonds of motherhood. This relationship is different than anything else I’ve ever experienced. Sure, I love my husband. But if he peed in my mouth, I’d be more than a little ticked off. When Eian did it, I just spit into the Diaper Genie, cracked up, and went on changing the diaper. A few years ago, heck, even a few months ago, I never would have imagined that I could handle this kind of thing. It seems like, as a mom, you continually give yourself to your child, but even at the most disgusting moments, you really get something amazing in return. You learn about your own incredible strength. And as my grandmother has always said, “You might as well laugh as cry.” Not that I haven’t done both in the course of five minutes – especially postpartum.
Isaac had his first booger nose this weekend – green slime creeping down his upper lip. I grabbed a cloth diaper right quick to clean it up. His diapers can be quite rank, but I really don’t mind changing them. Babies are cute for a reason – it’s a survival tactic. Makes their mommas and daddies overlook all the gook that comes out of their orifices. He still sleeps in our room and often there’s a eu de poo poo in the air – it’s not the most romantic fragrance.
If you want the password to my protected posts where I keep pictures of my family please let me know and I’ll give it to you.
We were hiking with friends when two of my children ran up over the next hill, yelling and squealing with delight. I started to feel embarrassed about how loud they were being in this pristine and quiet natural environment, but my friend said, “Children are loud so we can know where they are, even when out of sight.” And it made sense.
What cuteness in babies is to bonding, elevated hormone levels in teenagesrs is to letting go. I prefer these cute years.