Fortune Smiled

Alternate title: The Up Bucket

Facts pertaining to this story--
Fact #1 We got a beautiful new, comfy California king bed a couple of weeks ago. Since we also needed new sheets, I sprang for some higher thread count. (When I got married at 21 I had never even heard of thread count and the sheets we've been sleeping on the past 12 years can attest to that!) And then, just two days ago, my comforter set arrived, fresh from Costco.com, and now my bed shines in all its dry-clean only, ten-million pillow glory.
Fact #2 Sweet Smidget is going through a stage. It's a long stage. Almost like clockwork, for the past few months, sometime in the middle of the night she will pad silently into our room, and like stealth, squeeze onto the bed between D and me. The new bed gave her a few nights worth of trouble, being so much higher, but she quickly adjusted her technique and the extra room has made her more uncatchable than ever before. Barring a knee in the back, she can sleep, unnoticed, for hours before the ultimate discovery and ensuing march back to her own bed.

Fact #3 Lately, when D has taken the girls to the movie (a rare occurence) he splurges and buys a giant collectible bucket of popcorn. He reasons that it's refillable, but with just the 3 of them, that logic seems improperly applied. At any rate, we are now the proud owners of a Madagascar 2 and an Up bucket. I store them in the garage because, really, what good are those things?

And the story begins in earnest ...
In June I discovered an excellent use for the buckets--vomit containers! (Particularly appropriate is the "Up Bucket" or as I like to call it the "Upchuck bucket" ha ha.) So when we get the stomach flu, I march out to the garage and grab the movie buckets (which have been thoroughly sanitized, never you fear) and dole them out.

Early Tuesday morning, poor little Queenie was found sleeping in her stench and I knew the stomach bug was once again among us. Of course, you always cross your fingers that the first child will be an isolated incident, but that hasn't really ever worked out for me--how about you?

But late last night, when stealthy little Smidget padded into our room, none of that was on my mind. Fortunately (oh-so-fortunately!!!!) I heard her oncoming assault and halted her progression. I held her hand as we sleepily shuffled back to her bedroom. I tucked her in and laid beside her. Moments later, she sat up and began to gag a bit. Wham! The realization hit me that child #2 had indeed fallen to the gastrointestinal bug. Having been so hopeful that we could elude it, the buckets were still perched uselessly in the garage. I had the presence of mind to gather Smidget's blanky in front of her and catch most of the damage. And after D came to the rescue and we finished bathing her, changing the bed, rearranging Chatterbox (who had fled the room gagging and then taken the opportunity to turn on Smurfs at 1:00 a.m.) started a load of laundry and performed all the bitter post-puke routine, I retrieved those buckets and gave Smidget firm instructions that she should put all her future upchucking ONLY in it.

And so she has, in all her dry-heaving glory. And my comforter remains unspotted; my bed remains sweet-smelling. I'm glad there is such a bright side to look at.

Update: There is the photo, Crystal. It needs a good steam to get out the wrinkles and probably a new bedroom set to go along with it, but that will just have to wait!