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Sunday, June 22, 2008
5 sad days without Daddy!
The kids missed him, the dog missed him, and I clogged the dishwasher without him. How do you handle spouses who must travel for work?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It is a normal state of affairs for many fathers (and mothers) to travel for business for weeks at a time. However, it sure stinks for the parent left behind with the kids.My husband departed for a five-day business trip last Sunday. Here are a few highlights from our week without Daddy.
SUNDAY
6 p.m. — Michael flies to New York. We head to my parent’s house to celebrate Father’s Day. Walsh takes nap while the other two play.
9:24 p.m. — Rose is sent out to the car for bad behavior while I gather our stuff to go home. Walsh follows her. There’s singing and screaming in the car while I’m getting embarrassingly detailed instructions from my Dad on where exactly to apply Gold Bond Lotion on Walsh’s private area. (He seems to be adjusting himself a lot. I’m not sure if it’s medical or just a boy thing.) My parents seem relieved we’re leaving.
9:35 p.m. — I decide no baths tonight except for Walsh.
10:35 p.m. — Rose and baby asleep. Walsh wide awake. He hangs out with me watching the Food Network until 12:45 a.m.
1:30 a.m. — Mommy falls asleep
4 a.m. — Baby wakes up
MONDAY
7 a.m. — Dog barking downstairs. Already pooped and peed in the kitchen before I get there. Clean up poop and pee and go back to bed.
10:30 a.m. — Rose and Walsh already had three fights. Rose sent to time out twice. I am regretting not leaving the house. Another fight breaks out. Rose is sent to her room.
1- 4 p.m. — Baby naps, and I work.
4 p.m. — I realize baby is awake and I didn’t get a shower. Play peek-a-boo with baby through sliding shower doors.
5 p.m. — Invite my parents to come over because I’m lonely. Promise to serve BBQ ribs.
6 p.m. — Rose requests wood and nails to practice hammering. Papa obliges, but then claims heart palpitations as the children make him edgy.
10:50 p.m. — I call Michael. No answer. It’s been 24 hours since we’ve talked.
12:30 a.m. — Get woken up by Michael calling back. He was sleeping.
TUESDAY
7 a.m. — Take dog out.
8:30 a.m. — Call the pediatrician to discus Walsh’s issue. Nurse feels certain he’s just discovered it and not to worry, but suggests Gold Bond powder to keep him dry in the heat.
10 a.m. — Go to the gym and then Target to buy some powder. Walsh gets in trouble for playing hide-n-seek in the clothes racks and Rose is making me nuts saying “sit down” in a German accent repeatedly for absolutely no reason.
2 p.m. — Rose has friend over. I tell the mom our house is not normally this messy.
5 p.m. — Rose friend’s mother comes to pick her up. Poor woman can’t leave the house because I keep blabbing to her.
6:30 p.m. — My mom offered to keep the baby for my Dad and me to take the kids to see “Kung Fu Panda.” While driving to the theater, Michael calls to tell me what he learned that day. The kids are yelling in the back, my dad is freaking out that I’m going to have an accident. I tell Michael while I am extremely interested, I can’t concentrate right then.
11 p.m. — Clean kitchen, pick up downstairs and wash clothes.
12 a.m. — Michael calls to say goodnight. (Total talk time that day five minutes.)
1 a.m. — Finally, bed time for mom.
WEDNESDAY
7 a.m. — Get up with dog. No poop — good day so far.
7:30 a.m. — I decided earlier that week to take all three children to get formal photos taken. Feed and then bathe all three children. Leave the house at 9:45 a.m. hoping baby will take a quick nap (she got up too early). Baby falls asleep at 10 a.m.. We sit in the parking lot for 30 minutes hoping that will be enough sleep to make her happy instead of grumpy.
10:30 — Baby wakes up but refuses to smile for photographer. After shooting a few great shots, Rose throws a fit and refuses to be in any more. My mother takes Rose to the car to finish her tantrum so I can choose photos. I’m so jarred by the time I get into the car I bust open a large bag of M&Ms that I had brought as treats for the kids. Only Walsh gets a mini-bag, and I eat two out of sheer stress.
3 p.m. — Column not written and due in less than 24 hours. Put baby in her crib hoping she’ll fall asleep. So far I’m just hearing her cry.
3:11 p.m. — Baby still crying. I stop work to go help her.
4 p.m. — Our sitter Cydney comes so I can work. Cydney feeds the kids and gets them ready for bed. Much better night with Cydney’s help.
THURSDAY
1:30 a.m. — Baby is awake and crying. Doesn’t want to go back to sleep.
2:04 a.m. — Came downstairs to let dog out. I realize Rose made a picture with Cydney that says: “Rose is in New York City and staying forever.” (I guess the acting out is due to missing Daddy. Now I feel bad for yelling.)
11 a.m. — Turned in column. Need to do massive cleaning job on car and house.
9:30 p.m. — Michael returns home. Thank God.
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