Reliance

Davis is away. Last week when he called from work to tell me that he would have to travel to Japan on Monday I panicked - how would I take care of two kids without him? I envisioned a week of chaos and crying (me and the kids) and also thought the time would slink by, slower than molasses on a cold New England day. I envisioned tales of woe, words of admiration to single parents, and a week that could only be summed up in two words - no fun. Thus far my week has, shockingly, been relaxing, serene even, full of fun - and no tears have yet to be shed (by anyone).

Did I suddenly become super mom overnight? For a moment I entertained that fantasy, but then looked around the confines of our very small shower and noted that, in addition to me, the shower contained Oliver, Henni, Mark the dino, Jordan the snake and two boats - a super mom would certainly be able to shower alone. I then got to thinking - Davis and I very much parent together. In fact, we do pretty much everything together. Because of this, I know that he will be there (and hopefully he knows I will be there for him) when things get rough, or at the end of the day when I am tired, or when I want to shower alone...I guess I have come to think of us as a team, forgetting that I can manage alone. I've been trying to think of a good analogy (because I am not doing a very good job of describing all of this) but haven't yet been able to think of one.

I brought all of this up to a couple other moms today - and it seems like this phenomena is pretty common - that it, when placed in a situation where we have to parent alone, we do it (very well) - but when we know there is someone coming home soon, or in the next room, we kind of let things slide - we let some of the respsonibility, some of the parenting fall to the other person (arguably without either person knowing this is happening which is why the dual parenting thing can often be more chaotic).

All of this being said, we miss Davis and we are ready for him to come home. And the next time he has to go away I am sure that I will, again, be filled with panic. However, I can look back over the past three days (hopefully tomorrow will also prove good and I can look back over the past four days) and know that I can do it - and I can do it well.

(I do also want to add that, although the past few days have been wonderful, I do have to hand it to single parents - parenting alone is hard work.)

And, because no one just wants my babble, here are pictures of the kids -

Here is Oliver driving his car - fashioned (thanks to Davis) out of a diaper box - the car is complete with a pteranodon hood ornament.

Henni, fast asleep in the stroller.


And Henni and Davis' nemisis - my diaper bag. The bag is, admitadly, ridiculosly big and heavy, but it does contain diapers and extra winter clothes for 2, snacks for 4, toys for 2, a Bjorn, and other emergency items. While I do get lots of crap for the bag, I have never had to say "No, I don't have that."