Tag: kiddos Page 9 of 10

Hot Potato had a Fever

On October 17, 2020

In 03 Months Old, Izzy's Stories, Under 1 Year Old

It is 4 AM, and I stink. Mommy passed me to daddy as she ran away, coughing into her elbow. “Paci!” he screamed. Yes! I want that, maybe that’ll help with the burning sensation all over my body. Mommy ran back and tried to stuff the paci into his mouth. No! Wrong person! I wailed louder. As daddy put the paci in my mouth, the parents looked at each other and laughed deliriously from the lack of sleep, their voices echoed down the hallway and back.

“Hot potato coming through!” daddy said as he passed me back to mommy and ran away for his coughing break.

Guys! Stop fighting for a chance to hold me; now is not the time to demonstrate your love. My body feels like it is on fire, my head is aching – stop moving me around!

“Time for another dose,” says daddy as he came back with a syringe. The sticky cherry syrup drizzled down my chin. He then gave me a bottle of milk, the warm liquid smoothly flowed down my throat. Waking up every hour (instead of every 2 hours like usual) with a high fever is making me hungry.

After I finished my meal, the fluid uncontrollably started bubbling in my tummy, like a volcano about to erupt.

It burnt my esophagus on its way up, and I sputtered the mix of cherry-flavored milk acid over my shirt, floor, and the parents. Ugh. Not again! It had been hard for my 3-month old body to keep anything down these days. Whatever you do, mommy, don’t bathe me nor change my clothes – I am well aware that I stink.

At this point, just let me swim in sour milk curds; I am too tired.

As if she could read my mind, I felt a wet towel wiping my face, chin, ears, and body – the cooling sensation felt good on my burning skin. I caught a glimpse of mommy – her eyes barely opened, the deep dark circles and the wrinkles under her eyelids made her look older – what happened to her? I drift to sleep, thinking about mold growing on the sour milk by tomorrow morning.

The Mosquito’s Gift

By Izzy Tornado

On October 10, 2020

In 04 Months Old, Izzy's Stories, Under 1 Year Old

S small, black figure buzz in front of me, circling my head, and finally lands on my right knee. Oh – Hi, want to be friends? I study its fuzzy body with a set of long wings. This friend doesn’t talk much, does it?

Its head dips forward. The long needle on its head pierce into my skin – perhaps that’s a greeting of some sort.

Its body is pulsating with every blink. Is it … getting bigger?

“Ahh! You’re getting eaten alive!” Mommy smacks my knees. “I got the mosquito!” she squeals with delight as she shows me the black smear on her palm. The sting from her slap spreads over my knee caps.

“Izzy, you need to tell me when you’re getting bitten.” So, that’s what friends do – they bite each other. I look down and notice the spot where the mosquito had landed is turning pinkish-red and now triple in size.

The area got warmer by the second, and my fingers uncontrollably scratches it – what a crafty welcome gift.

Mommy puts some gloves over my small, 4-months old hands and rubs cream on my knee and arms. She is too busy to notice another “friend” has landed on her forehead. I smile to say thanks as it gave her a welcome gift as well.

Attaining Nirvana in the Womb – Part II

By Izzy Tornado

On October 3, 2020

In 00 Newborn, Izzy's Stories, Under 1 Year Old

I can’t see, but there is no point anyway. It is pitch-black in here; my ears are my eyes in this world. It is usually pretty noisy with the stomach factory constantly pumping out gastric acid and the food particles flowing through multiple pathways. Don’t even get me started on the veins; they envelop this world like a rubber band ball.

I overheard that I will get “evicted” soon.

That’s probably another term for attaining nirvana, like what they promised two months ago. Finally, after 41 weeks, I will become a Buddha – I’ve been mentally writing a thesis of how my new life would be like. I would live in a world just as silky as this one, with a constant stream of water flowing around the body to keep me young forever. I don’t want just to survive, I want to live to my fullest potential, you know? Perhaps I’ll get to surface from my capsule and unhook from the life-system to socialize with the other Buddhists and have a fancy glass of premium grade amniotic fluid. Or I’ll have a bigger bouncy house with space to continue practicing my sissonne ballet jumps and double jabs. I looked around me.

Space is limited these days; my arms and legs were pressed so tightly against the inner walls that the only position I like is upside down.

Suddenly the jello sack started vibrating violently. With every passing minute, my ears pounded louder. My head is constantly pulled into gravity’s gaping mouth below. Even with my eyes closed, I can see the dim light piercing through my eyelids. Today I will meet my fate.

I will now let go of my worldly possessions.

Within a few seconds, white sheets surrounded me like a welcome mat. I let out a yelp of surprise as giant “beings” (buddhas?) hover over me. The light is so bright I kept my eyes shut. Ah! I’m levitating! So this is how it feels like to be enlightened!

But it went downhill from there.

As I drifted from point A to B to C in a white towel, I screamed in vain, getting dizzier by the second. “Good, she cried.” What is wrong with these beings? Survival in this world is about who can scream the loudest?

I realized I need to rewrite my thesis as this world is not as peaceful as I envisioned it; it is full of light, hunger, and dry, itchy blankets.

The saddest part is that now I have to share my world with all of these beings.

I kicked my arms and legs in frustration. Can I un-attain nirvana?

Attaining Nirvana in the Womb – Part I

By Izzy Tornado

On September 26, 2020

In 00 Newborn, Izzy's Stories, Under 1 Year Old

“Humm mm Humm.” Something is disturbing my peace; it is circling me as if looking for an entrance. There’s that sound again, near my legs this time. “Humm mm Humm.” Every few weeks, this sound tries to track me down, as if I’m in a snow globe, studying my every move.

I jumped forward and transitioned into a backflip.

It was much easier to maneuver in this jello sack seven months ago; now, I am continually fighting for space. Perhaps it is investigating whether I am worthy of attaining nirvana, testing my dedication as I am in the process of rebirth.

I can barely make out the words, “She’s moving a lot. I can’t find her heartbeat.” It wants my heartbeat.

I shall appease them else they will deny my entrance to enlightenment. I sat down and started meditating.

I listened to the waves in my surrounding with my eyes closed, the fluid gently vibrating as the humming slithers towards me. “Finally got her!… I think she’s sitting up because the heartbeat is above the belly button.” Yes – ma’am, I am trying to concentrate here.

After a minute, the humming stopped, “she’ll be ready in two months,” the words echoed through the chambers.

Yes! Finally! I will attain nirvana! In my euphoria, I kicked my arms and legs for an early celebration. I’m too thrilled to meditate right now; I’ll do it later.

Nose Excavation

By Mommy Tornado

On September 19, 2020

In 10 Months Old, Mommy's Stories, Under 1 Year Old

“Thank you for letting me pick your nose.” After saying that to 10-month-old Izzy, I realized that self-image and etiquette are no longer a priority. What if my husband, my coworkers, or my friends heard it?! I am kneeling on the floor in PJs in the middle of the day with a flashlight on one hand and a dirty tissue on another, looking up my daughter’s nose as she sat on the couch.

That sticky booger had been peeking out and tempting me all morning. Izzy was still enough to let me pick at it with my thick fingers. After multiple attempts, I ran to the bathroom for the boogie-tweezer (yes, those exist, it’s a plastic tweezer with round tips. “Why not use a Nose Frida?” you ask. It is not as effective…).

While digging in the dark caves of her nose, I hoped that Izzy wouldn’t get fed up with all the mining expeditions.

When the tweezers finally got a hold of that gooey mucus, the booger was clinging on to dear life, until eventually, with a yank, it snapped and out it came. “Does that feel better?” I asked Izzy – probably more a question for myself. It was a successful day.