Catherine Lacey: BoyStory

By catherinelacey

Mother's Day

What a glorious Mother's Day. In with Reuben as no night nurse at the weekend, only a little suctioning and meds at night and respiratory treatments til his feeding continuous tube came out and I woke to him in a soaking bed. The bed however was fully refreshed with 200ml of milk. Bummer. Oodles of stories in bed in the morning (Callum woke in the night and was in with me in the tiny bed by Reuben). Just me, the boys and several thousands of parishioners at Saint Monica's Church, standing on the altar with the other mums with hands raised singing the Lord's Prayer, choir in full song, carnations for all the Mamas, people saying "Happy Mother's Day" to me too, feeling flushed with 6 year much longed for joyous moment, balancing the boys in my arms lest they run up to get a closer look, catching a Filipino couple videoing Callum trying to grab one of the baby's bottles off the table to be used to collect coins for the pregnancy clinic and returned on Father's Day with said coins, chatting to a family whose tiny baby has Down's Syndrome and enticing them to the UCLA Intervention Programme, the park, waiting for Reuben to go down the slide, the seesaw, boys one end, me the other, walk in double stroller to PF Changs for dinner balancing feeding tube feed with Reuben on my knee, suctioning his trach, trying to get him to eat one grain of rice at least (unsuccessful) as he's tube fed, Callum heartily tucking into Szechuan chicken and Singapore noodles, somehow managed to eat well myself, no camera, so only a quick snap when I got home as they were dressed so lovely, and after this photo was taken, Reuben hugged a little too hard and Callum fell off the blue bin, huge bump on his head, tender loving care, bathtime, movie for Mama, bins out, Nursie Jenn arrives. Didn't get a chance to dress prettily this morning so was in my usual jeans and by night, I bent over and that was the last of them. Huge rip across my butt. Threadbare. Not sure what I'll be wearing every day anymore (found old black but slimming maternity dress: will do). Sleep, with Callum in beside me (I know, not very 2010 but a lovely treat for us both). Up now at 530am for night nurse leaving. Ouch. Callum awake now. Must wake Reuben and get boys ready for school.

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