"Not so super"-mom

The whole Supermom thing is kind of funny to me. A lot of people (some serious and some joking) call me that and I really do take it as a compliment :-) Most of the time I feel so inadequate, though. I have so many faults and there are so many parts of being a mom that are just not my strengths.

This is on my mind because one of my weaknesses was glaring at me all day yesterday. I am NOT sympathetic toward sick people. At all. That is fine if we are talking about my husband, but not so much when we are talking about my 8 month old. He woke up at 4 something in the morning yesterday with a fever and a croupy cough. I got up with him, gave him medicine, cuddled with him, fed him, and put him back to bed. He slept a while and then woke up... and was fussy... all day.

And then the struggle within myself ensued... I'm a mom... it's my job, my privilege, and my responsibility to snuggle my babies when they don't feel good. And I'm good with that... I really am... when it works. If I can pick up my fussy baby, love on him, snuggle him, and then he becomes a content baby... I'm good with that. It makes me happy :-) It's when I pick them up and do all those things and they are STILL fussy that I struggle. It's when I am rocking and nursing and cuddling a fussy baby who is continually fussy no matter what I do that I get incredibly frustrated. I don't like it, I don't enjoy it... I just want to put them down and walk away. But they are sick... they don't feel good. So I feel guilty :(

I'm a mom who is willing to let my babies cry some. Not for long periods of time, but some... yes, I let them cry for a few minutes at a time. If they are learning to soothe themselves to sleep or as they get older if they are pitching a fit, I will leave them in bed and let them cry a little. I don't have a problem with that. But when they are sick... it's different. I don't want to leave them in their bed to cry when they don't feel good... but I also don't want to rock and walk with a fussy baby for hours on end either. Thus, the struggle.

So, which side wins? Does the guilt win out and I rock and cuddle, or does frustration win out and I put them to bed?

I must take a break for a second and say that when my husband is home he is amazing and wonderful and helps me so much! He will rock and cuddle a sick baby too :-) Love him! He was gone with the older kids to church a lot yesterday, though, so I was home with the sick baby.

Is the suspense killing you? ;-) What did I do?

I did both. I held and nursed and rocked and cuddled my baby. I talked to him and kissed on him... and some of the time he cried and some of the time he was quiet. But then when I got frustrated... I laid him in bed and took a shower. Not a long shower... but enough of a shower that when I got out I was ready to go get my baby and start all over again. And then I loved on him and rocked him and cuddled him and kissed him some more.

Those few minutes of crying were good for both of us. I was less frustrated and it seemed to help him realize that, yes, it is better in momma's arms. So, he was less fussy as I held him.

Then he went to bed and slept all night... and this morning, he isn't fussy anymore :-) His fever is gone and he talked to me and smiled at me while I fed him his cereal this morning. Oh, my goodness, I love my babies!!!

So... sometimes I'm "not so super"-mom. And that's okay. God's grace is sufficient :-) I've been "not so super" with my other kids and they are happy, well-adjusted, silly kids. Love, love, love my babies! Did I say I love my babies?