Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Single Parenting: It Ain't what it's cracked up to be!

So...  our routine has been thrown out the window.  Who am I kidding?  Routine?  What routine?  On May 30th, we closed on the new business and Jason went on up to Fort Worth with my dad.  He will essentially be there for the duration.  


I had a baby shower that I was co-hosting and that was on Saturday so I couldn’t go up and we ultimately decided that I would stay on in Houston for the month of June.  It was easier on Joey this way.  It did mean, however, that I am living on my own for the month of June with my precious little bundle.  All chores fall to me, and doing it with a baby on the hip is hard!  I know that I give Jason a hard time about helping out but I have learned that having him around to be able to say “Hey, will you hold the baby for a second so that I can go to the bathroom... or take a shower...  or take a phone call”....  was a luxury!  Rather, I was taking him for granted.  


We have fallen into a bit of a non routine, Joey and I, though.  And I have sort of gotten used to having the king sized bed to myself... HA... ha ha ha ha... myself... ha ha ha ha... if you consider myself to include a 50 pound lab, a 10 pound cat and a 21 pound baby.  I don’t have to worry about something being left where I wasn’t expecting it to be...  or if it is... it’s mine.  


But, I do have to unload the dishwasher every time all by myself.  I do have to do the laundry all by myself.  Don’t forget to take out the trash.  Don’t forget to fill the fountain.  And... I don’t have my best friend to share those “little moments” with.  


For example... I have decided that I have a child prodigy.  Why, you ask? 

Well, night before last, I got home and fixed Joey dinner.  After dinner, I took him upstairs as I always do and got him ready for his bath.  In the middle of his bath, I was awed to discover how he bent his face down and stuck it in the water to blow bubbles.  When did he learn that?  When did he stop being afraid of that idea?  So, while I was basking in the glory of this learning... he reached over to the faucet and pulled himself up.  


At first, I tried to get him to sit back down as the slippery surface of the bathtub is definitely  not a good idea...  alas, getting a 1 year old to do as you ask is about as easy as getting your cat to listen to you.   So I have my hand on the small of his back ready to catch him should he fall and all of a sudden he turns around to look at me and...  are you ready????  He pees.  Yep... just like a big boy standing in front of a toilet...  he peed.  It was as if he knew that is what big boys do.  :)  I got such a chuckle out of it.  


I quickly scooped him up and gathered him in my arms and grabbed the phone to call his daddy.  I had to tell him what a prodigy our offspring was.  :-D  Of course, he laughed at me and wasn’t nearly as impressed.  


BUT... last night.... he did it again.  Now, one time may be a coincidence... but twice?  My child is a prodigy, I tell you!  HA ha ha ha ha ha ha.  


Anyway...  back to my point.  This single parenting stuff is hard.  I sure am ready to be a two parent household and to have some normalcy back in our lives...  but then I spose, I will be getting ready for the holidays again.  How does it all happen?  


And, I want to be sure NOT to wish my life away.  There is so much right NOW to be grateful for.  Even if it is in the form of chaos.  Every now and then chaos is good as it teaches us what we are capable of.  


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