Renaissance Man

My mom lays claim to the title "Renaissance Man". It is what she calls my husband. It's true. I don't know how I got so lucky. In this modern day, men still often play the role of provider and part time dad. And so many of those part time dads only do the fun stuff. Take them to a movie, a park, play in the back yard. My Renaissance Man does it all. Sorry to brag ladies, but it's true. I sometimes feel ashamed that I depend on him so much. I feel I should be more, do more. I should be able to handle a day like yesterday - which was a constant mom/2 year old power struggle, and I mean CONSTANT - without losing my temper and without disappearing completely when Daddy gets home. Is it fair that he works all day with 6th graders - yes, 6TH GRADERS- and comes home to Crazy Eyes 3 or 4 times a week? Is it fair that I get a free pass to go to the gym, or where ever, every night while he does duty? I don't know, but some days I feel like I take advantage. I really admire those moms who, although they would like a break, can survive without one and still raise admirable kids.

We're nearing the end of my maternity leave and, again, I'm realizing I NEED to work. I am so grateful to work part time so I can be more than a shadow in my kids lives. BUT I NEED to work. We're not talking financial need here. We're talking sanity. I love my kids so much and MAN do I love spending time with them. But when mommy doesn't do things to make her feel like a complete person, Mommy is NOT a good Mommy. Does that make me a Bad Mommy? I guess while married to Mr. Renaissance, it's ok. We balance each other out. How did I get so lucky? He fills in my gaps and I his. Here are some examples:

-He loses the pacifier for the 500th time today, I always know where a spare is.

-I have crazy eyes when he walks in the door, he immediately takes the baby from my arms and redirects Piper while sending me out the door before my head starts to spin.

-I set out meat for dinner with no idea what we'll do with it, he turns it into Chicken Fajitas.

-He wakes up late, yet again, and I begrudgingly get out of bed even though the baby is actually sleeping in to help get Piper ready (even though it's "his job") so they can get out the door. I don't do this graciously. Grumbling occurs. (I am so spoiled.)

I'm leaving with the girls next week to Arizona and as I was looking in the fridge today in preparation for my (seems like) daily trip to the grocery store the thought went through my mind, "I'm not going to get milk because the milk drinkers will be gone, but I should get stuff for Brooks to eat next week". The next thought was "He can go to the store and get what he wants for himself." I think I get so worn out taking care of the kids that I forget that, although he doesn't need or expect it, it would probably feel nice to Brooks to be taken care of once in awhile. But the difference between Brooks and Non-Renaissance men is that he'd agree that he can go to the store on his own and wouldn't want me to worry about it.

So despite the guilt I feel when other moms I know talk about the beautiful dinners they make for their husbands, or the arts and crafts projects they do with their kids all while maintaining beautiful, clean, germ-free households, I know our kids will turn out ok because we are a team. Together we make it work. I can be who I am, and part of that is being an ok mom, because Brooks is the amazing man/husband/father that he is. And it's ok if the house is a mess for a few more years. Brooks will get to it eventually. :)

Ker-Plunk

I dropped my cell phone in the potty. KER-PLUNK. Yep. Ever have a ker-plunk kind of day? And no, it was not BEFORE I went. The fact that urine is sterile is little consolation to me. The funny thing is, the first day after it dried out and started to work again, every time I flipped it open it called my brother in law.

Fortunately, that is not how every day goes. Piper is finding her groove as a big sister. She does some really cute things like every time Quinn hiccoughs she says "QUINN!" really loudly, then Quinn hiccoughs again leading Piper to believe she is making Quinn hiccough by calling her name. She often offers Quinn her "humidifier" (pacifier) when she's fussy. The biggest event around here lately, however has been the transition to the "Big Girl" bed. WOW. It's amazing what a jump that made in Piper's maturity. I don't know if it was the move to the bed that did it or the maturity was already occurring, allowing the big girl bed transition to happen nearly seamlessly. To avoid conflict (something I've become quite adept at, at least with a two year old) I took apart her crib before she came home on the day we were going to do it. However, one side of the crib was too heavy for me to move, so I just propped it against the wall with a blanket over it. Two year olds are smart - do NOT underestimate. When she came home and went into the "Crib" room she said, "What HAPPENED?". Brooks said, as we had planned (so as not to technically lie to her), "your crib went away" and quickly shooed her into her Big Girl room where she was to sleep that night. The next day, she led me into the "crib" room and said, "That's my crib!". "No it's not." I lied in a sickeningly easy manner. To which she replied "it's my crib, but it's for babies." Yeah, that's what I meant to say..... A true Mom of the Year moment.

Here's another MOY moment: we were at the grocery store today and Piper was riding in the car in front of the cart. She kept sticking her head out and I was worried she'd hit it on something. After asking her nicely, for the 36th time, she did it again and I actually thought about lightly bumping something with her head to teach her the lesson. I quickly and silently scolded myself for thinking such an awful thought. Then......Almost immediately after, we bumped in to a stack of plastic bins with her head. I SWEAR I didn't mean to! Steering those things are like driving an 18 wheeler. At least I don't think I meant to. Did I mean to? Oh God I'm awful. If I meant to it was totally unintentional. Can I still blame it on hormones???

Life with Quinn is going pretty well. She is a beautiful, healthy, sweet thing who has, unfortunately, hit her fussy stage. A quick note to those mothers who had "easy babies". DO NOT tell that to mothers going through a fussy stage. Please, have some decency!

She has had a couple of days where she could not be put down without crying. Do you have any idea how exhausting it is to CONSTANTLY have a little being, sweet though she is, attached to you for an entire day? Brooks says it gives me "crazy eyes". He looks at my eyes when he comes home and can tell how the day went depending on if I have "crazy eyes" or not. Today, is not a crazy eyes day - hence my ability to take a few minutes to write. The child is actually sleeping, though I had to lie down with her for it to happen. Sleep is good, not matter how it is attained, at this stage! For both of us actually. Sleep reduces "crazy eyes" syndrome for mommies.

Quinn is almost 7 weeks old already and growing like a weed. She's got some plush little rolls on her thighs and a nice, round, big ole head. Her beautiful big eyes are still blue and are so easy to get lost in. The fussiness will end soon, so I'm trying to enjoy the sweet parts of this phase: having her sleep, actually "like a baby" next to me and feeling her belly jiggle when she laughs in her sleep. Her almost-but-not-quite smiles. Her downy soft fuzz/hair. Her sweet smooth skin. It's so good. All of the above reduces "Crazy eyes" too.

I'm looking forward to starting a new job in April. I got laid off about 4 weeks ago. Yeah, that was a Ker-plunk, crazy-eyes kind of day. (A big sting that I'm not ready to be politically correct about just yet so we'll leave it at that.) But I am looking forward to a new adventure and in hind sight, I think it was good timing. I didn't think I was ready for this big of a change professionally, but it turns out, I am. I think it'll be a good thing.

Life is good. It's all a matter of perspective.