Rich went back to work after having a month off. Having my husband home 24/7 for a month straight was a treat that I am not used to. I didn’t have to wake up early in the mornings; he handled breakfast for the kids. I didn’t have to get in and out of the car all day long, shuttling the kids to and from various events; he handled all that for me. Heck, I didn’t even have to go downstairs to make myself something to eat; he would send food up to me and I’d eat in my bedroom with the new baby close by. He handled all the kids’ squabbles and fights. He took them out of the house so that they would not get bored. There were many beach days and pool days for them, plus days where they would be out front riding bikes with daddy. They were constantly entertained, fed, and being directed.
Now that he’s back to work and gone 3 or 4 days in a row, I’m running the show again. And already I’m hearing complaining from the troops.
“We didn’t do anything today!”
“I’m bored.”
“Why can’t we go to the beach?”
“There’s nothing to eat in this house!”
“I’m sooo bored!”
“Are we going to stay in the house all day?”
I’m just not the fun mom right now. I’ve forgotten just how limited I am when I have a newborn. It’s hard to find the time to shower let alone make a meal for 8 or 9 kids. And a romp to the pool just isn’t happening right now. The beach? Forget it. The other kids will just have to be patient with me as I get back into the swing of things around here.
I still spend a lot of the time in my room with the baby. I rock him to sleep, I cuddle with him on my bed, and I rest when he’s resting. But it isn’t all that relaxing for me anymore, because I can hear the chaos going on downstairs. I hear the arguing, the yelling. It’s like Lord of the Flies down there, everyone fighting to be the one in charge and no one wanting to take orders from others.
Oh, daddy is missed, let me tell you that. I want him home to put the house back in order again. I want him to control the little beasts and make them clear away their breakfast dishes and pick up after themselves (when I leave the room, all directions given fly out the window). I want him to take them OUT of the house so that I can stop hearing requests to go to the beach, the pool, the mall, to a friend’s house….
Because right now, I just want to spend all day doing this:
But when you have other kids to tend to, you just can’t do this 24/7. Well, not unless your husband is home to do everything else!
Yep, I was spoiled for a month, and I got used to it!
Such a great husband and dad!
Such a cutie! I would love having my sweetie stay home for a month. I’m a little jealous!
Sandy
He is the cutest little cherub! Just realized you’re going to need a new heading with penny the dog and the new baby!