So, There’s This
March 21 2011 I’m just going to get this out there, with the thought that maybe if I do I’ll feel more inclined to write here. Because right now, it feels like I’m hiding something.
My husband and I are getting a divorce.
Or, we would be if we were legaly married. I’ve called him my husband because that just seemed easier and sounded more permanent than boyfriend. After 13 years and 3 kids, there was nothing about it that didn’t feel like a marriage to me, I didn’t need a piece of paper. Though if I had a do-over, I probably would. Or I just might not put myself in the situation to begin with. As it is, we broke up. Which makes it sound so very high school.
I’ve closed comments because I don’t need sympathy. I appreciate well wishes, but I’m not heartbroken. Not for myself. I’m angry, really angry. And if you get me started I’ll probaby go on a 3,000 word tirade here on the internet and I don’t think that will benefit anyone.
I am, however, heartbroken for my kids. They don’t deserve this. They also don’t deserve two parents fighting to make something work when they just aren’t happy together anymore. From what I can see, however, I’m taking it a lot harder for them than they actually are. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, kids are resilient. And amazing.
Single parenting has been hard, very much so. I’m not used to having much of a break during my days (and nights) but now there are none at all. And there are all kinds of future logistics I’ve probably yet to even consider. But right now, it’s still me and my kids. Without them, I’m sure I’d be a lot more lost than I am.
Sunday Shoo!
March 20 2011 Some of my posts at From the Monkey Bars this week:
How I Became Crunchy – I didn’t set out to become an attachment parent, but somehow I am.
Let’s Go For a Walk – Easy ways to make a simple walk around the block fun.
SuperMoon – After all the talk, the supermoon here was a superbust with too much cloud cover to see anything. Hopefully your sky was clear, but if not, there’s still a recipe here for homemade “moon sand”.
Also, if any of you, my lovely readers and friends, would like to contribute a post to FtMB, I would very much appreciate it. Pretty much anything parenting/child/family related goes!
The Hazards of Potty-Training
March 17 2011 Buzz, my 4 year old son who will be 5 next month, has had a hard time with the whole potty thing. This is kind of embarrassing to admit. I’d like to blame his speech delay and behavioral issues, but it’s probably also just as much my fault. He gets it, to a point, as long as he’s completely sans clothes. As soon as I put so much as a pair of underwear on him, he thinks of it like a diaper. He’s better, but I still wouldn’t leave the house with him without protection.
We’ve been working on it diligently this past week though, with much progress made, along with my daughter who has to follow everything her older brother does. So they’ve been running around the house pantsless, like a couple of drunk on milk college kids. At least it saves on laundry.
Yesterday, my parents came over to help watch the kids for a few minutes while I did some things. Of course, my son spent the duration of their visit completely carefree in all his glory. On their way out, I realized my parents left their newspaper behind and went to run it out to them. I told Buzz to stay, I’d be right back, don’t come near the door without clothes on.
Oh, he didn’t come near the door. He opened it. And ran out. Streaking through our yard and in front of the neighbors until I basically tackled him and dragged my exposed and barren child back inside. Hello, neighbors. How’s your day been? I’m sure it’s better than mine. This, oh this is just my son. Please stop staring at his butt.
I’ve never liked potty-training. Who does? But this was one hazard of the job that I never saw coming. Until it streaked like a bolt of naked lightning right in front of me.
Wanting What She Can’t Have
March 15 2011 My daughter likes to dress herself, and has ever since she could walk. I’ve even documented our disputes over her choice of wardrobe. She seems to have moved on from dressing like her brothers these days, finally preferring her own clothes. Except now, she wants to wear the same outfit every day of the week and has to have it just so. Including socks.
Abby’s socks must taste very good because the sock monster likes to eat them up. I’ve purchased countless styles and packs and I think we have about 5 matching pairs left. Though this is might be a good thing, considering my daughter is a fickled sort who can’t make up her mind.
As was the case the other day when she got herself dressed. Pants, shirt, another shirt (yes, she layers, sometimes multiple upon multiple), but lo! she was without socks. “Socks, mommy, socks!”, she demanded. Not wanting to deprive my daughter of warm feet, I dug through her unsightly mess of a drawer and came up with 2 pairs. One had blue stripes, the other red.
“We have blue stripes and we have red”, I said, dangling each pair in front of her. “Blue”, holding it with arm-outstretched. “Red”, pulling the blue pair back and doing the same. This continued on until I knew she understood.
“Blue?”, Abby asked pointing to the pair striped blue. “Red?”, doing the same with the red.
“Yes. Now, which one do you want to wear today?”
“Ummm….”, she mulled over her decision long and hard. “Yellow!”
