I OK Mama

When Lucy first moved into her bed, we put a gate up at her door - more to keep her from stumbling down the stairs in a sleepy stupor than to keep her in her room. About a month or so ago, I was putting Lucy to bed and went to put the gate in place. She was sitting in her bed, surrounded by Plex, Muno, Brobee, Foofa, Toodee and at least two puppy dogs and Wilbur the whale when she says to me in her most demure tone:

Mama....please don't put the gate up....it make me cry (it has never once made Lucy cry)
What do you mean honey? What do you mean the gate makes you cry?
The gate makes me sad Mama......please don't put it up...it make Lucy sad.......
She tilts her head to the side and hugs Wilbur to her chest...
.....please Mama???
OK Lucy, no gate, I don't want you to be sad....but you have to stay in your bed okay?
Okay Mama!

And to her credit, that night, she did stay in her bed....and she did for the next few nights....then she started to sneak into our room...
Sometimes she comes to our room at 1 in the morning, sometimes at 4 in the morning and sometimes she never comes in - but we have never put the gate back up.....

So a couple weeks ago, Lucy was sick. She had a terrible cough and was full of mucus. We hate it when she gets these deep wet coughs; there's nothing we can really do for her and, we have that kid who when she cries or coughs really hard (while sick), she throws up.

I had been up with her for three nights so on this particular evening, when she went down as early as she did, I too went to bed early. Sean retreated downstairs to do some work and I fell asleep almost the moment my head hit the pillow.

Around 10pm, I sort of remember hearing Lucy start to cough and then cry out. Then I heard a whole bunch of commotion...coughing, crying, Sean calling out, running up the stairs....... but I still had not moved...I think I thought I was dreaming.

All of a sudden, I hear Lucy wailing really loudly and my eyes open to see Lucy standing next to me crying.
Tears are running down her face and her whole body is heaving with sobs.
Her nose is running right into her open mouth and she is just wailing to save her life.
Before I can shake off the cobwebs, Lucy vaults into a coughing fit which makes her cry harder....
..................and then next thing I know, she leans over me in the bed and throws up on my face.......

And then informs me

I OK Mama. I snuggle with you?

Maria the Mum