Challenging Days

The first Wednesday of every month B has a meeting in the evenings.  It runs until after both girls are in bed most of the time, so I am the main parental unit for the whole day on those days.  This isn't really a big deal, he takes the "night shift" on days when I have rehearsal, and that's every week, not just once a month.  However, when you're staring two kids under the age of five in the face all day long, it can be daunting.  I look forward to B coming home.  Just the presence of another adult in the house is reassuring.  Yes. I know how to take care of my girls, and I do a damn fine job of it most of the time.  But this gig is draining.  And on the days when he works late?  It shows.  More tv is watched.  More junk food is consumed.  Expectations need to be lowered.  I feel like such a cop out writing this.  Single mothers around the globe are looking at me in disdain right now.  But this is how it is, and this is how it works in our house.

Take today for instance.  B's meeting + preschool day + one car = a tight schedule that takes nap time and employs extreme defenestration.  Both girls did the dreaded sleep in the car nap, which is a true harbinger of doom in our house.  Sorry girls, but 20 minutes of nap in the car while mamma's driving does not equal nap time.  Momma needs this break.  So, we unloaded the girls and gave B hugs and kisses pleaded with him to stay please for the love of god stay,   and then the girls had to have quiet time.  Boo was more than willing, tired as she was from preschool.  Maus?  Are you kidding me?  Time to partAAAYY!  She's currently in her crib throwing the mother of all temper tantrums.  Boo is probably passed out and oblivious, or playing quietly in her room like she's supposed to.  That's the difference between these two.  Boo bends to the rules or dodges them artfully so as to minimize the ill effect.  Maus?  Um.  Bull. China shop.  Brick head.  Wall.  You get where I'm going with this. These girls are as different as night and day, and while that's incredibly cool, it's sorta challenging at times.

So after the disaster of quiet time both girls will be more needy and clingy tonight.  They will both want my attention at once and fight with each other to get it.  Maus will want to play rough to keep herself awake, and Boo will get whiny and demanding.  I'm hoping to channel their frustrations into some paints time after quiet time, and maybe a walk around the block depending on what time I let them out of purgatory quiet time.  I'm beginning to learn that they and I deal with this time of day better when we have something a little more structured than TV to do.  Paints.  Coloring.  Worksheets. Walks or playing outside.  Sometimes reading books, but sometimes that backfires, I dunno why.  So we'll try some of these things and see how it goes.  Also?  I'm learning that my afternoon cup of tea is JUST as critical as the morning one or I get seriously cranky too.  And cranky kids + cranky mom = baaaad situation.  Here's hoping putting all this out on "paper" will help me actually do these things instead of opting out because I'm too tired, to lazy, what have you.