Doctor, Doctor

This afternoon was the kind of afternoon I couldn't have imagined if I tried. I had come downstairs to get ready to pick Ava up, when I saw I had a missed call from the elementary school. I had been running around the house and don't always have my phone, so I thought nothing of it and called them back. Turned out that Ava was in the clinic and needed to be picked up. When I arrived, the nurse informed me that she had called my cell not once but 4 or 5 times over an hour and a half period. Additionally, she had called our house phone, which is not working; Ben's work number that they have on file, which is no longer current; and my two emergency contacts, neither of whom picked up. I of course felt horribly that Ava had been sitting in the clinic for that long, and I have no idea why my phone never rang or even registered that I had missed calls. The nurse seemed a little annoyed with me, which made me feel guilty as well, but knowing there was nothing more I could have done, I just grabbed my kids and headed for home.

I called the pediatrician, who suggested I bring Ava in. Which meant quickly throwing my kids back in the car so we could make it to the doctor's office in time. We made it, went back to get Ava's vitals completed, and were sent to one of the exam rooms to wait. For fifteen minutes. Fifteen very LONG minutes. I realized that doctor's exam rooms may be the absolute worst places on earth. Every inch of the room is a hard surface, which makes for easy disinfecting but amplifies my children's voices about a thousand times. In my head, I knew the girls were being good - not perfect, but good - but I was still about to lose my mind from all the noise in the tiny room. Finally the doctor came in, looked at Ava, and diagnosed her with possible bronchitis. (Her lungs sounded pretty clear, but her cough is pretty wet and deep.) The doctor left briefly to send in the prescriptions... at which point (of course) Molly announces she has to go to the bathroom. *Sigh* Okay, here we go. I left Ava and Jocie in the exam room to take Molly to the bathroom, where she did in fact pee. We return to the room, where the doctor is ready to explain the prescriptions to me. Less than 30 seconds in: "Mommy, I have to go to the bathroom!!" Molly again. She doesn't even wait for me before she's tearing down the hallway, while the doctor is still trying to talk to me. I apologize profusely as I chase my toddler down the hall. Again, success - Molly pooped in the potty. We left with dry pull-ups and a fried Momma brain.

Most days I feel like I'm a chicken running with my head cut off, but I think I cover for myself well. Today I think I looked as frazzled as I felt. I can't stand looking like I can't get my act together, like my life is completely out of control. And yet, I have these little faces to remind me that I must be doing something right. The girls may have been loud, but every noise in that exam room was a happy one, as my girls played together pleasantly to pass the time. Ava had a fever and is coughing like a pack-a-day-smoker, but has as good an attitude as any other day. I couldn't fake the Supermom persona today, but looking at my daughters I am reminded that I don't have to be perfect to be a good Mom.

Thank goodness.

"Mom, Molly's sitting in my lap - take a picture!"

my sick-but-smiling champ