Have you ever experienced “Chunks In The Night”? No, this isn’t a Broadway musical. This is when you hear your 3 year old hurling in his bed at 4 a.m. Last night the Smith household experienced this phenomenon in full effect.
We had had a full weekend with the holiday and things. Lots of friend time, play time, and food. We were all sleeping soundly for several hours when we heard that awful noise that I haven’t heard since my dorm-mates got back from their parties in college. Chunks In The Night. Of course, at least my inebriated loser friends made it to the toilet to let go of a stomach full of poor judgment. My son? Nah, the mattress will do just fine Dad. When we walked into the room it was obvious what we were up against. Poor guy was sitting up clutching a monkey in one hand and a “doggy” in the other. All 3 of them soaked in partially digested Memorial Day fare.
If you are a parent you know the moment I had last night. You know, where you’re crouched down in the laundry room floor while your spouse bathes the little rascal. (meanwhile he/she feels much better and wants to play in the bathtub………..at 4:15 a.m.) But there you are picking the chunks of hot dog out of the sheets/stuffed animal fur thinking about just throwing it all away in a giant garbage bag. I got it all out and washed it on the hottest cycle. Then I went upstairs to change his sheets and make sure there were no chunks anywhere else. About the time I had it all clear his mom brought him upstairs. We prayed with him and laughed a little. All was well again and we were heading back to sleep as a family.
It had only taken 45 minutes. Not bad. 15 minutes later he hurled again. This time less chunks, but still enough to repeat the whole process again. You know, a little bit of puke is like being a little bit pregnant. No such thing as using “wipes” when you’re talking about kids spewing.
All the while I kept thinking about my parents doing the same thing for me. You do it because you love them. Who knows, someday I’ll probably look back and wish I had one more middle of the night with them at this age picking out chunks and gathering memories. Love each other. . . . . . . . . . . and remember.Hunter
Connersvine
So I’ve been lurking for a little while and reading the blog. But I have to say that I don’t think in a million years I will look back on my kid’s childhood years and wish for one more night of “picking out chunks” to build memories. I can think of some better ways.
Thanks for the laugh!
Yes,I remember this all too well. I can do about anything for my kids, but I don’t do chunks well. I do them but not well. The last time I was so worried about my sick one and fever,I put her in bed with me and held her close.Very bad judgement! The next time she hurled it went right down inside of my night gown that had a very high bodice, so ya know where the chunks ended up!Yeah thats right! Try waking up with chunks just sitting there between your (well you know) She and moma both were crying. Nothing like it! At any rate, I hope your little guy is feeling better and no one else gets sick.Why is it that this kind of thing always happens in the middle of the night? Making memories like these????~~~Priceless!! God bless your hearts, Becky
Ah the joys of parenthood. Bless your hearts. I hope Josiah is feeling better today. Mommy and Daddy too.
Be careful of what you wish for. Ariel had a concussion last year (she was 14). She woke up every 1.5 hours throwing up. Not fun.
Aww, poor Josiah I do hope he feels better. Yeah, I agree with Rebecca, why always at night? Not sure about the gathering memories part, but I know what you mean. What a good Dad you are for jumping right in there with the chunks, lots of Dad’s cant handle it, and kind of curl up in a ball , watching the other parent somehow get through it, without tossing their cookies too. Hope he is better, and everyone is getting good night sleeps.
Oh yeah, we’ve been there! I’m sorry your little guy is feeling poorly, and I hope he recovers quickly. As for making memories… Its those perspectives that keep us sane in those middle of the night episodes!
Hunter - Our youngest is now 19 but those experiences you described are etched in my memory. We were just laughing (yes, laughing) about the night our son (in his very early years) wandered in to our room in the middle of the night and somehow managed to toss his cookies all over my head as a lay sleeping. Soooooo, if you want to get the full experience of really loving your kids while they are sick…………
Blessings and prayers for your concert tonight in West Lafayette.
so. had chunks in the night last night with lil zion. luckily I heard him crying and I ran and couldn’t find him and he was in the bathroom at the the toilet saying ‘I definitely have to throw up mom’. which to me was a shock for my just turned 3 year old to wake up and realize this! that was a blessing! but I have been there with haylee and aadyn and the vicious cycle of wash-repeat.