Staying Calm

I have learned so much since the Bear entered our lives. Some of those things off the top of my head:
Patience
Gratitude (for time, for my parents, for Mike, for the sleep I do get...)
Appreciation of the little things

The biggest lesson I've learned so far in 2014 is how important it is to stay calm. I have two instances where staying calm has helped both me and the Bear.

A couple of weeks ago the Bear got a stomach bug. I've heard about these but boy, oh, boy was I ever not prepared. I didn't know he had the bug until he vomited. Projectile. It was huge. I didn't realize that much could come out of him. It was very intense. I think we were both in shock. Instead of panicking or saying something like, "EEEEWWW GROSS!" or "Holy crap!" I let him finish throwing up (it seemed neverending). I think I then asked him if he was o.k. and told him that he just threw up. I went and got some towels to wipe everything up and then calmly changed his clothes. He threw up 6 more times in the next 6 hours. It seemed that each time he did it he got smarter; he knew when it was coming. The second to last time he threw up, beforehand, he got  up and sadly and quietly said, "Mamaaa!" and then, "blaaaaaahhhh" into the bucket that I had handy. (That's the one time I had a bucket). The last time he did it he cried, "Mama. Mama!" It was so sad. So so sad. Poor guy. Each time, I stayed calm. I let him throw up on the floor, on me, in my hands, in the bucket, on the bed. Panicking or telling him to stop would not have helped or made him feel better. Staying calm was essential. (We did page the Pediatrician that evening and she said that usually these things are fast and furious and to just keep giving him fluids even if he just kept throwing them up. She was right; it lasted less than 24 hours.)

The second thing had to do with Cow Star. I forgot to grab her from daycare and started panicking before bedtime. Inside I was thinking "EEEEEEK! He's going to lose it!" But instead of freaking out I stayed calm. He's been attached to this one striped blanket as well so we gathered that and then I heated up one of his soft blankets in the dryer and pulled it out right before bed. I think that may have distracted him a little (because we know how he likes warm items from the dryer!)  I put him down in his crib and he cried which seemed like a cry for Cow Star and instead of saying the word "Cow Star" I just said "It will be alright. I'll just be in the other room." I left and he peacefully fell asleep. When he woke up around 6:45 am for the day he was a bit groggy and started doing the sign for Cow Star. Inside I thought "EEEEEEK!" but instead I said, "Cow Star is at school, with Miss Shirley. We will see Cow Star when we go to school today." He continued to sign for Cow Star and I repeated myself and said how well he did sleeping without Cow Star last night. It was a nice and calm conversation we had sitting on the couch. He had his grumpy/sad face on and when I finished talking he glanced at me, with his eyes only (still sad face) and then smiled. It was like he understood. It was a perfect little moment.