It was Farrah’s turn to take a vacation this last week and leave me home alone with Georgia, as I had done to her in March when I went to Spring Training for a few days. Not only did this sound like a breeze, I was looking forward to it just being me and G.
Farrah left on Thursday afternoon and the rest of the day went swell. We took a bath together, my favorite new pastime, read some books and generally hung out. Friday was more of the same. I worked from home the first half of the day, which consisted of mostly conference calls and then checked out for the rest. It’s a pleasure to just look at G’s face for hours at a time and watch it change and figure stuff out.
By Saturday morning, at exactly 6:31, I was beginning to feel the drain. She always wakes up early and goes back down two hours later, but it started to hit me that it would be difficult to get to all of the productive projects I planned for myself over the weekend. I was naïve enough to believe I could do it all. It wasn’t looking good.
Farrah left on Thursday afternoon and the rest of the day went swell. We took a bath together, my favorite new pastime, read some books and generally hung out. Friday was more of the same. I worked from home the first half of the day, which consisted of mostly conference calls and then checked out for the rest. It’s a pleasure to just look at G’s face for hours at a time and watch it change and figure stuff out.
By Saturday morning, at exactly 6:31, I was beginning to feel the drain. She always wakes up early and goes back down two hours later, but it started to hit me that it would be difficult to get to all of the productive projects I planned for myself over the weekend. I was naïve enough to believe I could do it all. It wasn’t looking good.She did go down for her nap (as did I), but that would be the last of her naps for the day. From 10:30 to 6:30 it was nonstop and unrelenting. We ran some errands, watched Dora about 5 times, went out to eat, and eventually ran out of songs to sing. There are three songs that we share: Patty Cake, …Doggie In The Window, and that great mid-section of “Black Water” by the Doobie Brothers (I try to sing all the parts at once). This may be bumped to four after watching a piece on Ashford and Simpson on CBS Sunday Morning. I started belting out “Solid” and got a smile. Luckily, Georgia (who I just heard make her first yelp after a nap, time to get her up again) is a good natured girl and never fussy. The one drawback to that is she thinks it’s a game when you’re trying to tell her no or punish her. Plus, she’s just really curious and likes to touch (and taste) everything.
She has a routine. If she’s sitting in my lap, she’s either going for my glasses or playing with the chord for the blinds. The glasses thing is annoying as all get out. I tell her no or pry them from her hands, and instead of getting the picture, she flashes her glorious smile and all that venom melts away. I don’t know how she’ll ever learn anything from me.
(Just this morning, I decided I would slap her hand the next time she went for them. So, she did and I slapped it, and then watched that smile contort into a grimace of hurt, the tears well up in her eyes, and that scream slowly come to life and all I can do is squeeze her tight and tell her I’m sorry. I’m not sure she even learned a thing. Not sure that I care anymore.)
If she’s on the floor, she’s trying to eat everything. The plants, the fireplace stuff, her toys, the garbage from the garbage can, the doormat, etc. After the millionth time telling her “NO” as she would put my shoe in her mouth, I decided I didn’t care to stop her anymore. Let her eat the dust-bunnies. She’ll live. Or, she’s crawling from room to room tearing things down, ripping paper out of books. It's like a dance. I yell "No". She stops. Turns to look at me. Waits a beat. Smiles. Looks at the thing again. Starts to put her hand back up. Thinks twice. Then goes somewhere else, only to return a couple minutes later.
So, Sunday was much better because she took a wonderful 3 hour afternoon nap when we got home from church. It’s easy to remember how much I love her when she let’s me do my thing every now and then.
She has a routine. If she’s sitting in my lap, she’s either going for my glasses or playing with the chord for the blinds. The glasses thing is annoying as all get out. I tell her no or pry them from her hands, and instead of getting the picture, she flashes her glorious smile and all that venom melts away. I don’t know how she’ll ever learn anything from me.
(Just this morning, I decided I would slap her hand the next time she went for them. So, she did and I slapped it, and then watched that smile contort into a grimace of hurt, the tears well up in her eyes, and that scream slowly come to life and all I can do is squeeze her tight and tell her I’m sorry. I’m not sure she even learned a thing. Not sure that I care anymore.)
If she’s on the floor, she’s trying to eat everything. The plants, the fireplace stuff, her toys, the garbage from the garbage can, the doormat, etc. After the millionth time telling her “NO” as she would put my shoe in her mouth, I decided I didn’t care to stop her anymore. Let her eat the dust-bunnies. She’ll live. Or, she’s crawling from room to room tearing things down, ripping paper out of books. It's like a dance. I yell "No". She stops. Turns to look at me. Waits a beat. Smiles. Looks at the thing again. Starts to put her hand back up. Thinks twice. Then goes somewhere else, only to return a couple minutes later.
So, Sunday was much better because she took a wonderful 3 hour afternoon nap when we got home from church. It’s easy to remember how much I love her when she let’s me do my thing every now and then.
By the time Farrah got back Sunday night, I hadn’t been able to complete every project, but I watched everything I had DVR’d over the four days (which included about 15 movies) and got to bond with my girl. Now, I had to call my boss that night and switch my work from home day from Monday to some other day because I wouldn’t have been able to handle another one alone with her, but today is Tuesday and we’re home alone and she’s been an angel and life is never better then when that happens.
I like to think I never lose sight of how hard Farrah works and how much effort she puts into keeping our house and lives in working order. But, it still drove it all home how much work is involved with entertaining a toddler for 12 hours a day. I love my girls so much.
I’ve got to get her up from her nap now. I hope I still feel the same way a few hours from now.
I like to think I never lose sight of how hard Farrah works and how much effort she puts into keeping our house and lives in working order. But, it still drove it all home how much work is involved with entertaining a toddler for 12 hours a day. I love my girls so much.
I’ve got to get her up from her nap now. I hope I still feel the same way a few hours from now.
4 comments:
Awww! I can't tell you how much it melts me to hear you talk about your girls! And getting a glimpse of that adorable birthmark on G's tush! I'm a happy girl!
ps I like the mix of personal stuff! love that your projects are 15 hours of movie watching!
Actually, my projects were getting the house ready to sell. The movies were what I did so much of instead. BUT, as you know, getting stuff off DVR is always a worthy project!
It's so sweet to read what you have to say about your girls. What a great dad and hubby you are. How is it being married to the RS President? You're going to be spending a lot more one on one time with G!!
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