Single mom.

Jeff went to a conference over the last few days, and I suddenly got a much better understanding of what it must be like to be a single mom.

It was awful. Actually, I couldn't even hack it for 24 hours before I loaded the kids up and headed to my parents house. The few hours after I got home today and before Jeff arrived were super stressful as I tried to play with, feed, bathe, discipline, and put to bed a fairly fussy (nearly) 3 year old who didn't get much nap today. At various points I left Naomi crying on my bed, in her crib, or tried to hold her as I did these tasks. The only reason I managed to eat dinner was that she sat in the bouncy seat for a while as I quickly smeared some pesto on chicken and threw it in the oven while quickly chopping up some veggies for a salad.

Poor Jeff came home to a fairly messy house and a wife who was ignoring it while trying to do a bit of sewing to de-stress. I really don't know how single moms (or dads) do it. Especially not with more than one kid. I am very thankful that I have such an awesome husband. And awesome parents who helped with the parenting duties enough that I could take a bath, get my haircut (!!), and even go to the movies(!!!).

If I hadn't been able to visit them, my days would have been filled with lots more Thomas videos (for Judah), lots more time crying in a crib (Naomi), lots more tears (me), and lots less patience (also me). I really can't do it alone.

Comments

Pam said…
Hang in there! It gets easier as they get older. Patrick had a bunch of trips the summer after Charlie was born (so he was just a few months old, like Naomi) and it was really rough -- I ended up hiring a mother's helper just to come at bedtime and play with Maggie or hold Charlie while I cared for the other kid. You do what you gotta do to get through. But now it's a breeze when he's gone! So, it does get much, much easier in time.
3:45 PM
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