Planes, Trains, and Autmobiles

My hardworking hubby hit the tarmac today for the first time in a while. He'll be in Calfornia for three days and although I'm not sure if I'm ready for him to start doing this every week again, I'm pretty sure I am going to make it through this one. Typically, the bonuses of his travel are not having to make dinner, getting to watch my shows on TV, and not getting sucked into sitting on the couch all night and actually getting some housework done. However, this week my mother is staying with me two of the three nights so the bonuses are a little different- got to go out tonight and get out of doing bedtime without feeling guilty and I didn't have to cleanup the kitchen after dinner. A new bonus of Casey being away is there isn't enough firewood chopped to have to be responsible for keeping the woodstove going all day.
Wow.
 That is a prime example of one of those things that after I say it, I wonder- "Whose life am I living?". Chopped wood? Keeping the stove going? Whaaaat?

I don't really have a smooth transition from Planes (yes, the reference to the Tarmac was the only thing relative to Planes) to Trains, so here goes-  You know how as a Mom it can be easy to get frustrated and feel like noone appreciates all (or any) of what you do? I am learning how to let this go, but still have daily dfficulties with doing so. A few days ago, 2yr old Casey asked me to play trains with him. In my mind to play trains we had to first fix the track. So I pulled out the directions from the drawer of the train table, laid each piece out by category and spent the next half hour constructing the perfect track. Of course, by the time it was ready, Casey had lost interest in playing. Yet, that night, Big Casey (my husband) noticed the train table and was really impressed which I know by his statement, "Wow. That must have taken you forever.What did the kids do while you worked on that?"

Lastly, There is a new automobile in our lives. (I know, another lousy transition, I'll work on it). There is a blue "Car bed" in my son's room. Although we bought the kind of crib that turns into a toddler bed and then a full bed, the car bed was given to us and  is pretty cool. I don't love that it doesn't really go with the jungle theme in the room, and if I were supermom I would whip out my creative skills and turn that racecar into a Safari Jeep while waiting for my homemade pies to cool. Instead, the car is parked next to aforementioned crib which is awaiting dissasembely. Anyhow, It's been a long time since anyone has desperately request I sleep with him in a car. And frankly, as I  find myself falling asleep with toys dancing all over my face and body I find that giving in now may be much worse then giving in then. I, inevitably wake up in what feels like the middle of the night (but is actually about 11) to realize I yet again didn't get to the thousand things I planned on doing once the kids went to bed and stumble down the hall to fall into my own bed knowing the 6:45am wake up call will be here soon and I can try again tomorrow.

Wake up Call

I woke up this morning at 6:45 to the joyful cry from my son in what has become the beginning of our morning ritual, "MOMMMMMMYYYY, THE SUN IS OUT! MOMMMYYY, WHERE ARE YOU? MOMMMY, GET UP!"

A few weeks ago he began sleeping in a toddler bed, but yet he still waits for me to "GET HIM UP!" everyday. I guess this is pobably a good thing. Last night, however, was one of those nights I fell asleep on the couch (actually the loveseat, hubby spent the night on the couch) and the battery on the monitor died somewhere in the middle of the night, so two year old Casey reprimanded me for my slower than usual response time by informing me when I crossed the threshold into his room that he had been looking out his curtains and the sun is up and he was calling me and I didn't come. Good Morning, my love.

Being two, Casey likes to follow a rigid routine which begins with "Juice, cereal, and a show" a mantra he barks until each demand is met. The show often becomes two (ok, sometimes four) as Mommy gets his baby sister her bottle, breakfast, diaper, and at some point my own breakfast and COFFEE. Usually several cups in a row.

Anyhow, back to this particular day. While I chatted on the phone midday with my very good friend (who also was a roommate in college) I was able to successfully do laundry, clean my kitchen, and tidy several other rooms. This was all because my wonderful husband took the two darlings to our local big box superstore to pick up the weekly essentials. Even though it was after 1pm, I had not yet showered, but I was explaining to my friend that somehow since I was dressed and not in pajamas it seemed like I was less lazy. Now, the fact that they were yesterday's clothes should have mattered, but it didn't. As my former college rommate, this particular friend witnessed me fall "asleep" in my clothes many a time so I knew she wouldn't judge.

 In a life that does not seem to have too many parallels to the life I led ten years ago, I somewhat enjoyed this tiny flashback and although I am still running ragged, I am glad I don't have a hangover or homework.

A tree in the forest?

So, over the last two years I've found myself ocassionally mentioning in conversation "I think I'd like to start a blog."  I'd hear myself saying it casually, the same way one might say, "I think I might like to take nap" Now, for many people, it may in fact be that simple. However, I am one of those people that makes everything way more complicated than it needs to be, and also, quite frankly, I am extremely technologically challenged. By way of example, I am currently typing this on a computer that is so old and slow that it can take up to 30 minutes for me to successfully "jump on" and check my email. This is actually why I have an iphone (much quicker to check email) yet I do not have one single "app" because I have no idea what my password to get into the app store is. I keep meaning to look into that.

Regardless, today was the day. I decided to just do it. Instead of thoroughly researching how to become  a blogger I ignored my always at odds procrastinating perfectionist overanalyzing brain and figured I'd learn as I go. So, please excuse the lack of photos until I figure out how to upload some. Please bear with me as I figure out the formatting. I think I am going to enjoy this and hopefully if anyone ever reads what I have to say, they will enjoy it too.