I was looking forward to our family’s schedule changes, because it meant I would parent alone some evenings.
I think childbirth was more difficult.
In a week, my daughter has Caddyshacked the bathtub twice and now has a fear of getting a bath, so I get in the shower with her and grab her and pray that she doesn’t slip (she slipped).
I tried to pan sear (since the grill scares the shit out of me) a beautiful steak, and I ended up setting the smoke detector off and filling the house with smoke (steak was great, on a side note).
After putting her to bed, cleaning up, making breakfast and lunch for both of us the next day, I’m too tired to cook or eat, so I throw together something that is not so balanced- a sweet potato, yogurt and fruit, rice and beans, or just a glass of ice water and lots of prayers.
Single parents, I don’t know how you do it.
It’s hard to slice up a butternut squash when your toddler stands and screams, demanding to be held. It’s hard when you have to pee and you have to take her in the bathroom with you and she unrolls all of the toilet paper. It’s hard when you’re putting her to bed and you crack your head on the side of the crib and no one is there to take over so you can scream in pain and maybe shed a tear or two and then go take some Advil.
Hats off to you, single parents.
I have a new respect for my husband, who had dinner ready when I came home from work (and Elise wasn’t crying). Sometimes I wonder if she doesn’t like evenings with me (sit down, stop jumping, stop touching the dog’s privates, stop stop stop is all I seem to say from 5pm to 7pm).
These nights are the anomalies though. Most nights it’s fun, it’s making memories with my girl, it’s stroking her little head when she’s drifting off to sleep. But I do long sometimes for those nights when we are both home and can do this together, tag team style.
Time to go eat that steak I seared off tonight. Well deserved this evening. I will sit and eat it, and then begin to move again as I do laundry, maybe get smart and make a meal ahead, open the mail. Once again the work piles up, but I’ll savor that steak and these moments, for once they’re gone I know I’ll want that wonderful taste back.