Parenthood: Week 511 - One Night

Diana got tickets without a lot of notice. It was a production of Matilda, the musical, done at Northwestern University. She got tickets the day before, and I didn't think much about it, but part of me didn't feel up for it. I had been working through a cold and had a lot of stuff to do at work. However, this performance was only a 5-10 minute drive away, and it was an affordable price. 

Ollie liked ˆ when Diana read it to him a couple of years ago, and Diana was currently reading this book to Ethan, so going to this show was a great idea. Matilda was one of my favorite books as a child. I was fascinated by the child abuse in Matilda's home and at school and how children persevered, reacted, and overcame these challenges.

Initially, we planned to take Ollie and Ethan, but then Ethan irrationally resisted coming with us, and we decided not to fight it. So Ethan stayed home with Lucas and grandma, and we took Olie to the show.

We got to show up late, it was cold, and we were in the very last row of the auditorium. However, once the show started, Ollie was transfixed. He sat up straight for the entirety of the first half, his head looking out at the stage. When intermission came, Diana suggested that we go home. Ollie said he wanted to stay, so she took a car service back home while Ollie and I stayed.

Maybe it was because I was tired, or the show dragged, but I fell asleep for a chunk of the show's second half. Ollie didn't. 

The show was two hours and forty-five minutes, and he sat up straight and paid attention the entire time. I was amazed and so proud of Ollie. Proud that he had the maturity to attend a musical for so long and proud that he, like myself, appreciated musical theater. I told him this as we went home on the dark winter night.

We got home late, and the two younger brothers were asleep. I looked at the block, and it was 10:40. Ollie got to bed, and I started winding down myself. Then Lucas threw up. Over the next two hours, we went through a cycle. Lucas would throw up, Diana would change him and comfort him, and I would change and clean his bedding. Finally, Lucas would settle down, get tired, and almost fall asleep, Diana would put him back in his bed, and then he would throw up again.

This happened three or four times. I'm not sure. All I know is that we went through every extra sheet in our house and pillows. At some point, I took a pillow off Ollie's bed (he has two) to give to Lucas because we didn't have any other clean ones.

By the time Lucas settled in for the night, it was 12:45. I had scrubbed through sheets and clothes, Diana had comforted Lucas through the night, and we were finally done.

One night was full of some beautiful things and some challenging things.

Then the following day, we got up and did it again. I knew there were challenges ahead and possibly some wonderful moments, but it would be a unique day full of ups and downs, as every day is as a parent.