I Survived Black Friday With Two Sick Kids. Here’s the Story.

Running a small business is a wild ride on any normal day, but pair Black Friday, two little kids, and two back-to-back days of zero sleep, and you’ve got yourself the plot of a comedy-horror movie.

Here’s how my Black Friday went this year as a mom of two, a business owner, and someone who clearly believes she has superhuman abilities.

The Thanksgiving “Warm-Up” (If You Can Call It That)

Let’s set the scene. Yesterday was Thanksgiving. Most people spend weeks planning their Thanksgiving menu. I, on the other hand, had the brilliant idea — with one day of planning — to host a full Thanksgiving feast and invite family.

So Wednesday night I prepped until 1:30 a.m., slept for four hours, and then was up again at 5:30 a.m. on Thanksgiving to start cooking. I would then cook until 5:00 p.m. in the evening.

I made:

• Green bean casserole
• Sweet potato casserole
• Homemade cranberry sauce
• Cinnamon ice cream
• Caramel apple pie
• Pecan pie

All from scratch.

My husband handled the turkey and mashed potatoes, my dad brought stuffing, gravy, and salad.

This feast alone should earn me a national holiday, but it was only the warm-up for the chaos to come.

Black Friday Morning: The First Round of Vomit

My toddler wandered into my room at 5:20 a.m., 10 minutes before my alarm. She knows she’s supposed to stay in her room until her Hatch light turns white at 7, but she recently learned she can open her door and has been abusing this newfound power.

Wanting a tiny moment of rest before my 13-hour day, I let her cuddle with me.

Forty-five minutes later, she announced:
“Mommy… I need to throw up.”

We sprinted to the bathroom and made it just in time.

Thirty minutes later: round two. This time it got on her clothes, so we showered, got her cleaned up again, and then woke her brother.

I quickly gathered everything we’d need for the long day — extra clothes, diapers, wipes, snacks…

Or so I thought.

I later realized I forgot:

• My crochet project (my sanity activity, but ironically I wouldn’t have had one spare second anyway)
• The dog food (both breakfast AND dinner — because my dogs eat breakfast at 8, which is exactly when we were already at the store)

10/10 would forget again.

Despite the rocky start, I felt weirdly proud of myself for staying on schedule. We were dressed, packed, caffeinated, and ready.

Until she threw up again right as we were about to leave. Excellent.

Opening the Store on Black Friday (With a Sick Toddler)

We made it to the store. I opened up, got a bucket under my daughter, and she threw up again. By this point, vomiting was our third child.

Thankfully, maternity stores aren’t exactly Black Friday hotspots, but it was still significantly busier than normal. I managed to juggle customers and care for my daughter without any disasters.

By late morning, she hadn’t thrown up for a while and even kept down some Goldfish. She asked to go in the carrier on my back, and since she only wants snuggles when she’s sick, I happily obliged.

At lunch, she asked for ice cream. I would have handed her the moon if she asked, so ice cream it was.

On our walk back to the store, I heard it.

“Mommy, I’m gonna throw up!”
Followed by immediate gagging.
Right. In. My. Ear.

There was no trash can close. No magical teleportation ability. No hope.

And then…
I felt it.

All down my back, soaked into my sweatshirt, dripping down her front — a shared mother-daughter moment no one asked for.

We made it to a trash can so she could finish loudly and publicly vomiting while hundreds of Black Friday shoppers passed by. A cinematic masterpiece. Truly iconic.

But once it was over, she felt better and that was all that mattered.

Back to the store we went, thankful I packed changes of clothes for both of us.

Nap Time, Grandpa Rescue, and the Illusion of Peace

After lunch, she went down for her nap without a fight (miracle). My son followed soon after. I took this rare quiet moment to reset the store and breathe.

When they woke up, my dad (“Poobah”) came to visit and took them for a little stroller walk. Lilah only lasted a few minutes before wanting to come back, but even that tiny break felt lifesaving.

Back at the store, both kids were happy — coloring, dancing, playing, snacking. My son was in the BEST mood. I finally felt in control of the day.

Cue dramatic foreshadowing.

And Then… the Baby Threw Up

In an expertly timed plot twist, Link suddenly projectile vomited all over my freshly washed 8x10 office rug — the rug I had just taken to the laundromat by myself (on free dryer day!) to prepare for Black Friday weekend.

That rug was supposed to be my clean, cozy safe space. Instead, it became collateral damage.

But honestly? Link handled it like a champ. Once he was done, he stood perfectly still while I cleaned him up, then ran around joyfully in his diaper while I tackled the rug… again.

Thankfully, it was a one-time thing.

Closing Time: Chaos Survived. Business Thrived. Mom Won.

By the time my husband came to get the kids, both were feeling better. The store had amazing sales. Customers were happy. I survived multiple public vomit incidents with grace and the reflexes of a ninja.

And now, sitting here ten minutes from closing on my longest day of the entire year… I feel proud.

Truly.

The Point of This Story

Even on the hardest days, moms get it done.
We show up. We power through. We take care of our kids, our homes, our businesses, and ourselves — sometimes all at once, and sometimes while covered in someone else’s stomach contents.

I love my kids.
I love my business.
I love my life.

And I love that the version of me today is strong enough to face days like this and end them smiling.

It was a damn good day — chaos, vomit, exhaustion, and all.