On Night Nurses and Cravings

In case anyone was wondering, I don’t recommend a third trimester cold. Yes, I finally succumbed to some of the hooligans’ microbes. I’m fairly miserable. Adding to the fact is the joy of nightly insomnia. Even without the cold, I have been waking up between 2-4 a.m. every night. I wish I could say I was doing something productive (my friend Lisa said she used this time in her twin pregnancy to organize. Why can’t I be equally motivated/productive?).

I will say that Leo makes an excellent middle of the night nurse (I hope he’s this helpful when the babies come). At 2 a.m. when I woke up hacking and sneezing Leo was of course in our bed (he makes his way into our room most nights between 1 and 3 a.m.). Leo patted me on the back and held his palm to my forehead dramatically, whispering, “Fever, Mommy?” He asked to take my temperature too, but I assured him I was fine. Wordlessly and without being asked to do so, he padded into the bathroom and returned with a package of baby wipes (which we often use to wipe the kids chaffed noses). He offered them to me with a furrowed brow. When I finally lay back down and attempted to go back to sleep he pulled me close and threw his little arms around my neck, his round, warm hand rubbing my cheek. His compassion astounds me. Leo, the nurse.

This morning, sleep deprived and congested, I looked long and hard in the oven for a cup for Leo’s orange juice (thinking I was peering into the dishwasher). I then came very close to pouring orange juice into Leo’s yet to be made scrambled eggs.

Fifteen minutes later, Leo accidentally overturned his mostly-eaten plate of scrambled eggs onto the carpet. Oh but never fear, there was plenty of leftover ketchup to go on that carpet! I whipped around to clean it and managed to knock over my coffee cup, which happened to be a favorite mug, shattered. Sniff.

I am not someone who should probably be trusted with heavy machinery or small children.

Thank goodness for this. I like to think it’s clearing my head. Perking me up?

(Though I buy the Target “Up and Up” brand because I’m thrifty like that).

This is amazing too. It’s practically intoxicating. And I don't feel as guilty using it since it's all crunchy and natural. Erin thinks I’ve lost it. She comes into the bathroom after I’ve showered and calls me her “Little cough drop.”

I confess to having craved eucalyptus even before the cold but now? It’s the perfect antidote. I literally go in to the bathroom just for a whiff of it. A hit. Straight from the bottle. I’m an addict. Anchovies, pickles and ice cream, pepperoni pizza? Nope. Eucalyptus. Weirdest pregnancy craving ever, right?

At least it’s Friday.