One small victory

It’s been a hell of a week. Monkey had her first-ever wheezing episode Monday afternoon, resulting in a rushed trip to the pediatrician and a couple of doses of Albuterol administered through a nebulizer to get her breathing back to normal, and a couple of middle of the night doses at home to keep her stable. By Wednesday she was totally fine, and by “fine” I mean she tried to stuff both her and her sister’s lovey into the diaper pail and she used her spoon to play in the litter box. Both things happened while I was trying to take care of Turtle, who is getting two molars and is not very happy about it. Like I said, rough week.

But this morning, a small ray of light for Twin Momma. It was looking like another bad day: I tried to put Monkey into her booster chair for breakfast and she would have none of it. We graduated from high chairs this past weekend, but it turns out that it really isn’t about the chair. That girl just wants to sit in my lap at breakfast time. I guess she thinks, “Hey, we’ve been apart for twelve hours lady, can you just hold me for ten minutes while I eat?” I can see her point and usually give in, but this morning was different. First of all, I hadn’t had my breakfast yet. And second, Turtle was still sleeping so I knew I’d have to go get her soon. So I said, “No, I will not hold you right now, you sit in your chair to eat.” I put her breakfast and milk right on the booster chair tray so she could think about it. When she refused the chair I let her wander around the kitchen whining and crying while I made myself a couple of pieces of gluten-free toast and a cup of instant decaf coffee. Mmmm, breakfast fit for a queen.

Monkey whined and whined and cried and I kept offering her the chair, and she kept saying, “No!,” so I kept working on my pitiful little breakfast and busying myself around the kitchen. This went on for a few minutes, and then a miracle. As I stirred the sugar into my coffee she went over to her chair and touched it and looked at me. “Do you want to sit in your chair?” I asked. She nodded yes. I helped her into her chair and she clapped her hands and started shoveling the scrambled eggs into her mouth. I really was so happy I almost cried, because I had been sure a Queen Kong meltdown was on its way. I showered her with praise and told her how proud I was of her for getting into her chair, and then I got my toast and sat across the table from her and we had breakfast together. It was wonderful.

I don’t know if I would have had the gumption to hold my ground like that had Turtle been awake. When I’m trying to manage them both at the same time, I really just do whatever I have to do to keep it together. It feels like there isn’t room for me to give that kind of focus to one when, for example, the other is digging around the litter box with a spoon. But Turtle blessed me this morning by sleeping in and giving me and Monkey the chance to establish who is in charge. I really think we both needed to know, and I really think we are both happy that it is still me.