An average weeknight at our house is unbelievably crazy. So crazy, in fact that it's a wonder that I don't pull all of my hair out. I can't imagine having more than one child right now- I am not sure how anyone does it. I am also incredibly amazed by single parents. All I have to say is WOW, you are AWESOME. This is what a typical evening looks like for us:
4:00 p.m. Mom leaves office in Five points, and head towards Wyatt's daycare at the main hospital, seven blocks away.
4:15 p.m. arrive at Wyatt's daycare
4:45 p.m. Mom gets to car with all of W's stuff, stroller & car seat in tow. Lug everything into the trunk. Load a very fussy, tired and hungry baby into the backseat.
5:00 p.m. sit in traffic waiting to get on the interstate, listening to a tired and fussy baby scream... cursing under breath at all the people that decided to leave work at the exact same time as me.
5:15 Get on the interstate. Sit on the interstate.
6:00 p.m. Get home right before husband. Lug everything into the house by myself. Pray that the baby who has cried himself to sleep stays asleep long enough for me to change, feed the dog and maybe get the mail. Please, please PLEASE.
6:01 p.m. Baby starts to scream. Dog scratching on the back door, car door still open, back door still open- cold air blowing in. Diaper bag with all contents fall on the ground, mom trips and curses again. Dad comes home and wants to know why the dog is scratching on the door and and why the baby is crying. Mom throws bottle at Dad.
6:15 p.m. Dirty bottles in sink, diaper bag unloaded, still haven't changed, dad playing with fussy baby, asks for warm bottle and burb cloth. Also asks what is for dinner. Mom throws another bottle at Dad's head.
6:30 p.m. Dad feeding baby, mom sneaks away to change clothes only to be called back into the family room by dad, asking if she can feed the dog who is now barking and scratching at the back door. Mom feeds dog. Then sprints for the master bedroom to throw off her heels. The laundry basket is overflowing with baby-spit up stained clothes. Mom grabs a pile after finding the last clean sweatpants in the house to pull on. The clothes are thrown into the washing machine as Dad asks again what is for dinner. Mom scrambles to the fridge only to realize that she forgot to take anything out of the freezer this morning. Thank God for Tombstone Pizza. Dad asks why they have to eat pizza again. Mom holds herself back from throwing another bottle.
6:45 p.m. Pizza is cooking. Baby throws up. Mom asks Dad to PLEASE bathe the baby. Dad asks for mom to fill tub with warm water, get the baby's PJ's out, retrieve a clean diaper, look for he baby lotion... and then he would give the baby a bath. Mom does all of above and Dad plops naked baby into tub that is four sizes too small. Water goes all over laundry room. Water is cleaned up with the pile of dirty laundry. Laundry pile is now dirty and soaked. Oven timer is going off. Baby is being dried off and is crying.
7:00 p.m. Mom shovels pizza down her throat alone in the kitchen. Dad tries to console baby. Mom dreams of the Nicholas Sparks Novel that is collecting dust on her nightstand. Mom also dreams of a big glass of Chardonnay. Mom's dreams are interrupted by Dad asking if it is his turn to eat. Mom takes fussy baby. Mom tries to feed fussy baby sweet potaoes. Sweet Potatoes are spit across high chair all over Mom. The dishwasher needs to be unloaded. Dirty dishes are piled up in the sink.
7:15 Mom hands baby to Dad. Unloads dishwasher. Attempts to make bottles but one spills. Cursing ensues. Prayers to ask for forgiveness for cursing follows. Mom finishes bottles for the next day, loads dishwasher and moves wet load of clothes to the dryer. Cleans up the rest of kitchen.
7:30 p.m. Baby is ready for bed. Mom is exhausted. Dad is exhausted. Baby needs outfit picked for the next day. Mom picks out outfit in the dark with one hand while trying to comfort fussy, teething baby. She collapses into glider. The book can wait. The wine can wait. Mom rocks baby to sleep while singing Silent Night. Baby curls up into Moms arms and goes to sleep. Mom continues to sing and rock. This is what matters. This is what she thanks God for. Mom thinks about her baby getting bigger and feels a little sad. Mom prays for patience and strength to get through another day.
7:45 p.m. Mom enjoys one hour on the couch with her husband and a glass of wine looking at the Christmas lights... before collapsing in bed- only to start all over again.
2 comments:
OH, so true so true. Our nights look oh so similar. Sadly, we eat oven pizza at least twice a week. And heat up soups from the can and our 'good' meal is heat up quasadillas with cheese and black beans. Your lucky that you can get off of work at 4 and get off on Friday. I'm jealous.
Wow I remember these days. But I am lucky that my sister watches the girls here at the house. The daycare thing will start soon for us though.
I was cracking up over this blog though. Read parts to my husband who also laughed.
You will get through this phase! When I get home from work most things have to wait until the girls go down after 8:00. But that just means that I am still up at 11:30...
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