Thursday, January 8, 2009

The Longest Week

After a carefree and fun two weeks of family time, it's hard to get the bearings together and get into the school and work routine again.

Yadon seems the most okay with the return to daycare, having settled quickly into the sleepy commute in the wee hours of the morning. He seems content to be back in the bright nursery lights at 7 a.m. In the midday, when I pick him up, he is usually napping happily and wakes only after we've picked up Sissy and are comfortably at home. And now that he's older, he seems to reserve his biggest activity bursts for Daddy and Mommy in the evenings, where suddenly we are greeted with smiles and squeals and baby chatter.

Chi (aka Sissy) is a little less eager to be back in the weekday groove. Yes, she loves school (even if for her it is merely a social exercise and not a learning workshop). She enjoys being amongst kids her age and is typically in a pleasant mood (albeit starving) when I pick her up.
Unfortunately, though, she wants to stay up late. She no longer happily agrees to do her homework assignments. And she often returns to the cocoon that is her bed within minutes of Mommy waking her up and leaving to tend to baby or preparing for work. Frequently she passes out on the couch in the room adjacent to the kitchen where she has mastered turning on the Fios TV system (which has proven too difficult to understand in her room).

And then there's Mommy. Mommy is tired. Mommy wishes she could skip the J-O-B and do anything else instead. Isn't there someone out there who can cover the bills while Mommy takes pictures, scrap books, or creates something she'd enjoy? Mommy needs to stop talking in third person.

This week I have dragged myself out of bed reluctantly at 5 a.m. to let out the already howling dogs that the neighbors say have disturbed the "repose of the neighborhood" (though what they are referring to is beyond me as we have constant construction noise all around us - perhaps if the dogs ran chain saws or power nail guns or drove trucks around, the noise would be accepted?). I spend a little too much time on the computer, browsing blogs (a brief diversion unavailable at work), playing Mob Wars or Possum Tossum, or perusing e-mails (I still have 100+ unread!). Then it's dress myself, feed baby, dress baby, change clothes when baby throws up, and force procrastinating Chi to get up. At some point I try to eat something, occasionally making a cup of coffee or tea that invariably ends up sitting on the counter getting cold (and moldy if I forget it's there for a day or so). I pull my hair back and may dab on some eyeshadow. I gather up the daycare diaper bag, medications, coats, backpack and my work supplies and try to make it out the door before 6:30. I've been successful a half dozen times.

I spent a good time yesterday looking over a series of workshops I'd like to take in photography. They are "weekend warrior" programs averaging about $200 each and are great portfolio builders. Oh, to be able to splurge on something. Perhaps someday I'll get to take them. Until then, though, I am suffering through the longest week of the school year thus far.

Project 365


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