Could you please move the cat...

I just rememeberd a funny thing Natalie said last week that I have to blog before it goes where many of my thoughts seem to go these days - into a black hole - never to be recovered again.

She wasn't feeling well one morning a week or two ago. I feel kind of bad now, because I didn't believe her all morning. She has had a hard time, like Sarah did, with homesickness. She doesn't want to go to school quite often, she just wants to stay home with me. I just thought the sore tummy was another ploy to stay home. I tried to be patient, but went on as if we would have a regular day because I was so confident that Natalie was fine. Eventually I gave up on my plans I had made during Angela's preschool. I was going to meet Tina and try out a class at the gym, but it looked like Natalie would be with me. I figured maybe she just really needed some mommy time and that was why she was playing up the sick tummy. I really didn't mean to doubt her - she had no fever and for a good hour in the morning she was running around and playing like usual.

But when we were driving home after dropping Angela off - Natalie's face looked pale. We got in the house and I did some reading on the couch with her. Then Natalie got a really sad look on her face and asked very sweetly as she sat straight up, "Mommy, could you please move the cat so I don't throw up on her?" (o:

I suggested we run to the bathroom instead and sure enough, she was sick. As soon as she could catch her breath, the first words that came out of her mouth were, "See mom, I told you I was sick." Ouch. boy did she get the royal treatment after that. A mother with a lot of guilt doesn't hold back anything. Natalie was pampered like a true princess - she got the special snugly blue blanket that is extra, extra soft and doubles as a layer of protection for the couch, just in case. She got the "hug" heating pad, the special juice she loves in a water bottle, her favorite movie - "Enchanted" and when her appetite came back she got to eat lunch on the couch.

Natalie had a great day. She ate it all up and actually felt just fine after the incident. I think she must have eaten something funky.

I was happy that the cat didn't end up being puked on, and the floor, and the couch. Natalie thought it was really cool to make it to the toilet when she feels sick (her first time) and could see lots of benefits, "Hey, I don't have to take a bath and you don't have to get the big vacuum for the couch, mom!" Yes, a funny milestone to be excited about, but hooray! Great job Nat!