Mr. Mom

It's Thursday morning of the day we are supposed to fly to San Francisco. Except we had to cancel our trip and are now figuring out what to do with the day. Amanda stands by the couch and eagerly grabs her milk bottle and drinks it like a good Irish toddler. Technically, an Irish/Italian/Chinese toddler. It's good to see her appetite is back. It's good for a few minutes. Then she pukes up everything she drank onto the living room floor. Good news, is we now have a plan for the day.

We walked Amanda past probably the most famous children's hospitals in China and to a clinic of a private hospital which originally served expats. Now it serves anyone with cash. We went there to avoid the line. They gave her some medicine to help stop the vomiting and monitored her for a bit. Then we went home waiting for the next diarrhea which in theory we could get tested. Likely she had norovirus.

The next day and for about 30 hours I got to play Mr. Mom as Sabrina had to be away. When Sabrina and I discussed having a baby, one of my conditions was Sabrina could work and I'd be Mr. Mom. Sabrina's disagreement was signed in silence. But here was my chance - sure it was just one night - but time to step up!

I couldn't wait for Sabrina to get back home. Not because Amanda was too difficult. She was on the third day of the illness and recovering. No more puking, no more diarrhea. Very low fever. Mostly lethargic, not eating much. Sitting by my side or at my feet the whole day. Occasionally fussy. I had also came down with something and was feeling blah with a fever.

Kobe, the dog was a problem. First the walks. Four total stroller plus dog walks for the day. First one, was Kobe's morning constitutional. Lunch time, walk to nap Amanda. 5pm, post Kobe dinner poop walk. 8pm, Amanda fall to sleep nap. Kobe has to go on all four. If we leave him home alone, he gets anxious and barks to the point the neighbours call building management. And Kobe walks in alternating styles. First - shot out of a cannon pulling us along. Second - hard stop refuse to move smell. Then, race a head again slingshotting me and the stroller forward.

At around 9pm, Amanda slept next to me on the bed. It's first night that I've had her alone. At 11:30pm she wakes up and cries loudly. "Here we go", I think. I get ready to walk her back to sleep. Kobe wakes from his slumber and is gearing up his howling. Then she's back to sleep. And she slept mostly through the night. Woke up a couple of times, but a hand to her back put her back to sleep.

By the time Sabrina got home around noon, Mr. Mom was in shambles. Unshaven, unshowered, two day socks. Once Sabrina is settled, I snore myself to sleep.