Tomorrow I am not going to work. My company, like many other healthcare companies in the current economy, is feeling the pinch. Staff have been asked to share in the burden by taking two mandatory paid days off in the next two pay periods. I don't pretend to know enough about finance to understand how this helps the bottom line but I'm excited not to have to go to work for a couple days. I am kind of worried since I have only been there for six months and this will put me in the negative for paid time off. I'm pretty sure that means when I go to take an actual vacation in June it will be unpaid. Nonetheless, I was looking forward to a luxurious day to myself tomorrow after dropping the kiddos at preschool. A trip to the new Whole Foods in town, lunch with a friend, making some baked goods, picking the kids up early and finally a nice six miler with some friends from my running group in the evening.
Today was a long day at work and I had to finish up a few things when five o'clock rolled around. This meant that my children would be waiting anxiously, possibly even sitting at the dinner table, for me when I arrived home. I had forgotten to take anything out of the freezer for dinner and so had UberGeek, so he suggested that I stop and get some takeout on the way home. Unfortunately, all afternoon I had been thinking of whole grain tortilla quesadillas with nice melty cheese and vegetables. I decided to stop by the grocery since I lacked the tortillas and the spinach. By the time I got home it was 6:10 and the kids were restless. I didn't bother changing out of my work clothes and got down to making dinner. Finally it was ready and we all sat down. Diva was complaining of a headache, this was not surprising since she usually feigns an illness of some sort unless the meal is hot dog, cheese, spaghetti or pancakes. We ignored her and told her she had to eat some food. Eddie Haskell decided that he too was not eating, a frequent refrain in our house since our children primarily eat breakfast and lunch with just a snack at dinner. I began to get that feeling of desperation I get soon after my relief and joy at arriving home to my children. It's like groundhog day each night. UberGeek plays with them, has fun, enjoys them and I am somehow relegated to taskmaster, chef and clean up crew. I don't like this role.
Diva began complaining more loudly of a headache and she did look flushed so we decided to give her some Motrin and send her to bed. She drank the Motrin and I picked her up to take her to bed. Then I heard a horrible sound, a sound I know well. The throw up sound. In the back of my mind I thought of my sweater, my beautiful chocolate brown natural fiber, soft, fuzzy sweater that fit just right and could not be laundered. Then I thought simultaneously how awful it was to have that thought when my poor, sweet daughter was sick. I aimed her to the side and she projectiled reminiscent of the throw up scene from Parenthood, one of my favorite movies of all time. Success, it all landed on tile.
We cleaned her up and put her in bed. By now I could feel my relaxing day off being slowly sucked away, replaced by a day full of throw up duty. UberGeek reminded me that I could have fun snuggling Diva at least. Taking Diva out to lunch, doing projects, going places is my idea of fun, holding her head and mopping up all day while she throws up is not necessarily on the fun list, but rather the duty list.
Once Diva was safely in bed I got a hold of myself, sucked it up and put on my big girl panties to deal with it. I smiled, poured a glass of inexpensive but tasty Penfolds Shiraz Cabernet and told Eddie Haskell that it was time for a bath. Then I cranked up the bathroom heater and planned my own mini vacation. Without Diva in the tub there was plenty of room for me and my Penfolds. Before you leave a comment about how yucky it is for a grown woman to bathe with a kid A. he's 4 years old B. it's more a hot tub than a bathtub. Our bathtub could comfortably fit four people in it, really we could entertain in our master bathroom. It was our biggest expenditure in our bathroom remodeling process even though we purchased it at a substantial discount. We invested in this tub because I spend a large portion of my almost non-existent spare time in the tub and the relaxation it provides makes me an easier person to live with. Once settled in the tub Eddie Haskell got busy playing with the huge assortment of bath toys he and Diva stockpile there; I got busy relaxing and blowing bubbles for him. After about ten minutes of warm water, bubble bath and Penfolds I was ready to tackle whatever came next.
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Tomorrow I am not going to work. My company, like many other healthcare companies in the current economy, is feeling the pinch. Staff have been asked to share in the burden by taking two mandatory paid days off in the next two pay periods. I don't pretend to know enough about finance to understand how this helps the bottom line but I'm excited not to have to go to work for a couple days. I am kind of worried since I have only been there for six months and this will put me in the negative for paid time off. I'm pretty sure that means when I go to take an actual vacation in June it will be unpaid. Nonetheless, I was looking forward to a luxurious day to myself tomorrow after dropping the kiddos at preschool. A trip to the new Whole Foods in town, lunch with a friend, making some baked goods, picking the kids up early and finally a nice six miler with some friends from my running group in the evening.
Today was a long day at work and I had to finish up a few things when five o'clock rolled around. This meant that my children would be waiting anxiously, possibly even sitting at the dinner table, for me when I arrived home. I had forgotten to take anything out of the freezer for dinner and so had UberGeek, so he suggested that I stop and get some takeout on the way home. Unfortunately, all afternoon I had been thinking of whole grain tortilla quesadillas with nice melty cheese and vegetables. I decided to stop by the grocery since I lacked the tortillas and the spinach. By the time I got home it was 6:10 and the kids were restless. I didn't bother changing out of my work clothes and got down to making dinner. Finally it was ready and we all sat down. Diva was complaining of a headache, this was not surprising since she usually feigns an illness of some sort unless the meal is hot dog, cheese, spaghetti or pancakes. We ignored her and told her she had to eat some food. Eddie Haskell decided that he too was not eating, a frequent refrain in our house since our children primarily eat breakfast and lunch with just a snack at dinner. I began to get that feeling of desperation I get soon after my relief and joy at arriving home to my children. It's like groundhog day each night. UberGeek plays with them, has fun, enjoys them and I am somehow relegated to taskmaster, chef and clean up crew. I don't like this role.
Diva began complaining more loudly of a headache and she did look flushed so we decided to give her some Motrin and send her to bed. She drank the Motrin and I picked her up to take her to bed. Then I heard a horrible sound, a sound I know well. The throw up sound. In the back of my mind I thought of my sweater, my beautiful chocolate brown natural fiber, soft, fuzzy sweater that fit just right and could not be laundered. Then I thought simultaneously how awful it was to have that thought when my poor, sweet daughter was sick. I aimed her to the side and she projectiled reminiscent of the throw up scene from Parenthood, one of my favorite movies of all time. Success, it all landed on tile.
We cleaned her up and put her in bed. By now I could feel my relaxing day off being slowly sucked away, replaced by a day full of throw up duty. UberGeek reminded me that I could have fun snuggling Diva at least. Taking Diva out to lunch, doing projects, going places is my idea of fun, holding her head and mopping up all day while she throws up is not necessarily on the fun list, but rather the duty list.
Once Diva was safely in bed I got a hold of myself, sucked it up and put on my big girl panties to deal with it. I smiled, poured a glass of inexpensive but tasty Penfolds Shiraz Cabernet and told Eddie Haskell that it was time for a bath. Then I cranked up the bathroom heater and planned my own mini vacation. Without Diva in the tub there was plenty of room for me and my Penfolds. Before you leave a comment about how yucky it is for a grown woman to bathe with a kid A. he's 4 years old B. it's more a hot tub than a bathtub. Our bathtub could comfortably fit four people in it, really we could entertain in our master bathroom. It was our biggest expenditure in our bathroom remodeling process even though we purchased it at a substantial discount. We invested in this tub because I spend a large portion of my almost non-existent spare time in the tub and the relaxation it provides makes me an easier person to live with. Once settled in the tub Eddie Haskell got busy playing with the huge assortment of bath toys he and Diva stockpile there; I got busy relaxing and blowing bubbles for him. After about ten minutes of warm water, bubble bath and Penfolds I was ready to tackle whatever came next.
