A MOMMY BADGE

I was in Girl Scouts. A long while ago, that is. But while I was a member, I managed to rack up quite the badge collection. I really can't remember any of them now - only the Mall Lock-In badge sticks out in my mind. I thought it was so awesome to have a huge sleepover in the local mall. I even brought along my Fred Flinstone slippers.

We should have a tacky brown sash to proudly display our mommy badges. My would be small. Labor, the first shot, the ultrasound for the possible hip problem, the first shot I had to hold L for, her first cough. But I earned a new one this week. Getting through L's first real fever and infection. On my lonesome. It seems inevitable that she gets sick when M is out of town. In the past, it was just a low-grade fever or a small cough. This time? A high fever. Like 103.5 high. An infection. A total personality change. It included being at the doctor's two days in a row. A bag to catch urine?! A throat swab. An exam. Not one, but two finger pricks. Plenty of Motrin, Tylenol, and temperature checks.

Bless both of us, we are on the last stretch of this sickness (I hope!) and she's been a trooper. A grumpy, sad, not-interested-in-toys-and-only-wants-to-cry trooper...but a trooper nonetheless!

Thank goodness, I have been lucky so far. I haven't had to worry about her - she's never had any major problems or concerns. She's always healthy and happy. Then this sickness hit her. It came from nowhere. We know now that it's nothing major but it sure can shake a momma up. There's nothing worse in the world than knowing that your baby feels horrible and you can't fix it. You can't snap your fingers and make it go away. All you can do is comfort them and snuggle them and whisper quiet shushes in their ear hoping it makes them feel at least a teensy bit better.

My gorgeous girl is taking a nap. I know she's feeling a little better because she actually laughed at me today. And played with her toys. And drank her juice! M is on his way home and I'm excited about the Dominican take-out we'll be having for dinner. It's finally looking like Fall here, with the blustery winds and vibrant yellow, orange and red leaves scattering across our yard. The world is becoming right again.

With Thanksgiving, Christmas, L's 1st Birthday and all the simple things in between like ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas, watching Grey's Anatomy tomorrow night with my hubby, baking cookies and having a few minutes of down-time to read a magazine - things can only get better from here.