Preparing for the unexpected....

In the early hours of Saturday morning in a cold hospital room cradling Will against my chest, I found myself pondering what a Parenting Manual would look like.  Would it be a huge book with thousands of tips, tricks and secrets? Or would it just be a little pocket book with one simple sentence "Prepare for the unexpected."  It would be pocket sized so you could carry it around with you at all times, to remind yourself of the secret of parenting...the secret that we all want to know. 

On Friday afternoon, Will came down with vomiting (that was blamed on his 6 week vaccinations) and by the night, we were in the Emergency department at the hospital with our darling boy.  It was scary to see the doctors concerned and even scarier when they were telling us what would happen if he wasn't to respond to treatment. 

Thankfully after a night of constant fluids, kisses and cuddles - Will gave us smiles at 6am and we were finally discharged and able to come home to our Big Girl who was having a great time with her grandparents (thank god for Family!) and didn't even notice us missing! 

It was one of those moments as a parent where I felt my heart in my mouth.  Where I realised that my babies are my world and I would do anything to protect them....anything.  A mothers love is such a potent emotion....and never ceases to amaze me of it's strength. 

The theory of the 6 week vaccination reaction was thrown out the window (so easy to blame!)  once Macie, Heath & I dropped like flies on Sunday night.  Another "Prepare for the Unexpected" moment.....or perhaps Tip #1876 of the Huge Book of Parenting - "It doesn't matter if you are vomiting and your husband is gagging cleaning up your child's vomit - you will always put your child's health before your own". 

So we are now fully prepared to prepare for the unexpected.....but we are really hoping that unexpected gives us a break just for a little while.  My nerves are shot! 

Have you ever had a moment like this?