Only Mom will do

Gardner's had an unexplained fever for 36 hours now....no other symptoms except for a runny nose and slight cough (which he's had for several days, which I figured was just the common cold). After a three-hour hiatus from children's Tylenol this afternoon, I put him to bed early, thinking we'd beat this fever thing. He awoke crying thirty minutes later, and he felt warm. Back up to 99. I grabbed him, gave him more medicine, and rocked him until he calmed back down.

All day long has been a flood of tears. Gardner, yes, because he felt bad....and me, too, because I hate to see him feel bad (among other reasons; see baby blog for more info). My dad and Ken were both here, hoping to get a hug from Gardner during this clingy phase, but no such luck. Gardner would not let me leave his sight. When someone else held him, he reached back to me and said, "Mommy," in a pitiful, weak, yet desperate little voice. As tired as you are, how can you say no to that? It's impossible.

Part of motherhood is being there for your kids.....even when they're not perfect little angels, snot-free and cherubic. They need you more when they're not their best, and it gives me the greatest joy to be able to bring some sort of comfort and solace to his little heart that simply can't be found within the amber walls of a medicine bottle.