But anyway, the other day, while I was at home with The Pumpkin, lying on the floor of her room clutching my stomach while she did her own thing, something obvious occurred to me.  That “in sickness and in health” thing from traditional Western wedding vows, that doesn’t just apply to the partners in a marriage.  That’s a given, assumed, unspoken, doesn’t-even-need-to-be-said contract between parent and child, too.  Like I said, obvious, right?  But here’s what really hit me.  It’s not one way.  Of course parents pledge to take care of and love their children in sickness and in health, that’s part of the definition of “parent,” right?  But through the love we give and the example we set, the family and home environment we try to shape, our kids learn what it means to take care of others, to love and protect right back at us.

 

We got home from meeting la dra. for lunch (it was Saturday, she was working), and I was starting to feel off.  I asked The Pumpkin if she was tired and wanted to take a nap, and we went to her room.  A couple minutes in the crib and it was obvious it wasn’t time yet.  I, however, needed to lie down, so I grabbed a few blankets as a pillow and plopped on the floor.  Seeing me, The Pumpkin said she wanted to lie down on the blankets with me (the previous day, staying home with her sick, she’d gone down for her nap on the floor with me).  But once out of the crib, she was more interested in playing than sleeping, even though her nap music was already on and the shutters were closed.  She asked me to get her bear from the crib, but I said, “Baby, I wish I could get your bear but my tummy doesn’t feel good so I don’t think I can get up, okay?”  And she said okay, and for about the next hour, she went about her business with me sprawled out on the floor.  I was dozing in and out, trying to stay awake, but what I do remember is this:  The Pumpkin climbing up to open a couple of the shutters for some light; going in and out of the room, each time putting her binky on the chair and saying “Daddy, I be right back, okay?” and closing the door, returning with a clutch of books from the living room, which she’d deposit on the chair in exchange for her binky; and finally, climbing up again and closing the blinds she’d opened, popping her binky back in her mouth and hugging the stuffed Lambchop doll she’s taken to calling her “baby,” snuggling up to me on the floor and falling asleep in seconds.

 

 

In sickness and in health, heh.  Obvious, yes, that it goes both ways, but amazing to watch happen, nonetheless.

 

[Don’t forget to click thru to the full post to see the video with this post!]