The Bug Bites!

{Warning...If talk of baby vomit makes you queasy, skip this post.}

As much as I try to keep her out of germ's way, with my trusty Clorox wipes and hearty German breast milk, Willa has gone and gotten sick...again. Only this time, its the stomach bug. Dreadful. The poor baby was uncharacteristically clingy and a tad extra fussy a couple of days ago, and I just assumed it was because she was tired. She was especially whiny at dinner and refused three different meals before I gave up and moved on, to her bath and bedtime ritual. I was rocking her to sleep when disaster struck. Without any warning, she threw up all over the both of us, more than I ever could have imagined. And as soon as it was over, she was talking and pointing and directing Sean to her toys. Little trooper. I wasn't sure if it was something she had eaten or the real deal, until the next day when it happened again. This time, I was at work, standing with her in my arms right outside my office. Again, it was all over us and our cute outfits. I stood there, frozen, holding Willa close, and pondered the meaning of unconditional love. In that moment, soaked in baby vomit, I felt completely maternal. Sick as it sounds, it was kind of neat. Conveniently, Willa and I were able to find some alternative cute outfits just steps away at Root and Beulah's. And Billie Jean, our go-to-girl at the shop swooped in to help with the mess. I really owe her one...really.

So, Willa's been laying low, sleeping a lot, downing fluids and bland foods, and I think she's pretty much over the hump. Oddly, in the midst of all the sickness, she picked up the sign for "milk," and, brace yourselves, she took her first brave steps. I'm the only one who witnessed it, but I'm positive that it was not my imagination, because it happened more than once that evening. She took a couple of single steps first. Then she took two steps! That was last night, and she has shown no interest in stepping today. Oh well.

I took these pictures today at lunch. Willa was having a tummy-friendly feast of applesauce and dry toast. And she thinks phones are the most fun toys ever invented. So she kept pretending that her toast was a phone, putting it up to her ear and inflecting her voice to sound like "hello?" Enjoy!