Last weekend I got a text from one of Logan’s teachers. She was kindly letting me know that her and some other teachers would be out for the upcoming week due to illness. Her amazing one on one was also down for the count. Yikes. Two teachers would be there, along with a sub, if they could even find one these days. I knew what this meant, and honestly, I wanted to cry. There are only 10 or so days left of school. 10 or so days for me to get a zillion things done, and so little time to compose my sanity before summer break. A week of no school for Logan did not fit into my plan, and I felt defeated.
Then, something snapped me out of my pity moment. This is time that the two of us get to be together, during the day, no one is sick, no therapies…and no loud boys! We could do whatever we wanted! And, the weather was going to be beautiful, and hot. When I was little my dad played football for the Baltimore Colts. When he’d be traveling my mom would declare that time as “Girls Only, NO Boys Allowed”. It was now my turn to continue that tradition in a way, and honestly, it is exactly what we needed.
The past few months have been rough for her and I. With all of her medications for her SIBO and EoE that she was on, it made for a stormy relationship. It’s a physical battle to get her to take liquid medicine, and usually ends up in tears on both ends. And lots of scratches on me. But, we get it done and move on. Some of the meds make her feel off, and probably a little yucky, and I’m sure she blames me for that, which is totally understandble. I do try to explain to her that this medicine will make her tummy feel better, but what kid will understand that when it is just so awful for them. I have no problem being the bad guy if it actually helps her, but it’s hard, and I feel her not wanting to be around me. And honestly, sometimes I don’t want to be around her because she is so mad at me for it. We do steal moments of smiles, laughing and snuggles, but it has definitely been off for a while.
She has been off of the antibiotics for SIBO for a couple of weeks, which has made her feel better both physically and emotionally. And, she doesn’t have me on top of her trying to squirt medicine down her throat, so that helps. So, she has wanted to be around me, and smiles when she sees me. Phew! And this past week was just fantastic with her.
It was forecasted to be sunny and in the 90’s, so obviously there would be water involved. Water to Logan (and me) is magical. It is such a calming force for her, and seems to recenter her, instantly making her happy. Put her by the ocean, drop her in a pool, or plop her in a blowup pool on the deck – she will be happy. Oh, by the way, it only took 4 years to realize that having a water table at school would be helpful, and I wasn’t even the one to think of it. Thank you, Julie for realizing this, and thank you Kate for making it happen the very next day! This is what amazing teachers do.
So, we spent our girls week lounging in the pool on our deck with an iced coffee for me and an iced lemon balm/senna tea for Logan, complete with music, bubbles, and “The Little Mermaid”, of course! One day it was so hot that I told her we were going to break into our neighborhood pool to do some water therapy. And by break in I mean use the key we have. We were still rebels because the pool wasn’t technically open until later on after school. Which made it even better. The whole pool to ourselves! She loved every minute, and we both got a great workout in. We are still searching for the perfect floatation device for her, which I will likely have to make since there aren’t many options…or that don’t cost a few hundred dollars for a blowup tube (since it is categorized as “special needs”…huge eye roll here). If anyone uses one they love that keeps your kid from tipping forward, please let me know!
Clearly it wasn’t a total girls only week, since we did have to pick up the boys and have them around in the afternoon, but it was perfect. It was like the weight of the past few months had been lifted, and there we were again. Happy to be around each other, being silly and giggling, dancing and having those moments of snuggling where you just melt into each other. She even made her way over to me lots of times to pat my legs, and even reached for my face to give me a kiss. Ahhhh.
I am so thankful for this week with her. It was a much needed rest for the both of us, a mini vacation of some sort. I just feel terrible that it came at the expense of her amazing team at school. These ladies are just incredible, and don’t stop. Ever. I really hope they were able to truly rest. I’ve never come across a more hard working bunch than the EC team at her school. I am always in awe of them, and if I could give them the world I would. I appreciate them more than I could ever express. They deserve so much more than what they are given in all aspects. Hopefully we can help be the change with that.
I realized lots of things this week. When things don’t go as planned, just go with it and do your best to make it memorable and worth the momentary pity party you might have. If you live near water, don’t take it for granted. I kept thinking how fun and easy it would have been if we were back on Long Island and could just walk to the beach, or swim in Gogo’s pool. It made me a little sad that my kids haven’t experienced that to an extent, but the memories will always make me smile. And appreciate the moment, whether it is good or bad. It’s happening, and it is life, and it is hopefully making you a better person in the process. Read the signs that are being given to you. And soak in the smiles, every single one of them.
