I'm here right now to tell you that if you do not hear from me on here for more than 10 days, please just assume that I am having a less than awesome week and I'm just sparing you the less than interesting details of my non-problems. All I'm going to say is that the pseudo-single mom life is starting to take a toll on me. Just when I think we can finally relax and enjoy the holidays and get some Christmas shopping done, Ty gets sent away for another unknown number of days.
If you are a person who has successfully completed a shopping trip with a toddler and 1-month old in tow, I must bow down to you in praise right now. We attempted Walmart last week and it was actually hilarious. I was that mom struggling to keep her toddler seated in the top portion of the shopping cart whilst little baby wailed from his car seat within. Oh the looks.
I have to mention that I am incredibly fortunate to have so many amazing friends and family around to lend a helping hand should I ever need it. Thank god for my parents and their always open door. I absolutely LOVE the drives out to Balmoral. Those drives have become my happy place. Deacon usually cries in the car for the first couple minutes but then he falls asleep and Hayden loves car rides so she rarely makes a peep. On my way out of the city I always swing through the Timmy's or McDonald's drive-through, and get coffee. (It's probably a good thing that we do not own a coffee maker because I am a very likely candidate to become a caffeine junky). So there I am, sailing down #7 highway, swilling my coffee and belting out the tunes like Beyonce. It is truly blissful. Until I hear this tiny voice from the backseat, "Mommy, I don't like this song!" The first time she said it I was like Oh! OK I'll change it. I soon realized that she doesn't like any song if it's not "Roar" by Katy Perry. Lucky for her it's usually played on any given radio station at any given moment. If I don't feel like complying to her requests, I guiltily give her her soother and continue my playlist.
I wish I could say that the playlist on my Ipod is one of jolly Christmas tunes but I'm finding it hard to get into the Christmas spirit this year. I've already made a pact with myself that next year I'm going all out Christmas everything whether Tyler is home or not! This year, I'm just trying to keep whatever good spirits I can manage, whether they're Christmassy or not.
:) :) Liza
Wednesday 18 December 2013
Monday 9 December 2013
Goal of the Week: Sleep
On Saturday we attended the wedding of one of my longest and dearest friends! It was the loveliest winter wedding. The bride was more beautiful than anything and everyone was so happy - the atmosphere was just wonderful. It was impossible to not have fun.
My joy at being at this event was made all the more joyous due to Deacon being a perfect angel throughout the night. Hayden, we left with Grandma and Grandpa. We could have brought her and I know she would have had fun with the other little ones running around and dancing, but I put my own enjoyment first for this occasion and it was worth it. I can't even express the pleasure of returning home after the wedding and not having to undress and put to bed a cranky, over-tired toddler. Deacon slept peacefully in his car-seat upon our return allowing Tyler and I some much needed Q.T. His work X-mas party was also on Saturday but he ended up skipping it.
Now, if only I could sleep at night...
Lucky for me, I like being awake so I'm not too bitter about my lack of shut-eye. I'm also lucky that I am a night person. I like being awake - at night. Basically I'm a vampire. Then, in a crazy sci-fi twist, I become a zombie by day!! Not a flesh-eating zombie, just an expressionless, go-through-the-motions, Raffi-singing zombie. It's quite surreal. The longest Deacon has slept is 4 straight hours. That, I would gladly take though he hasn't slept more than 2 hours in a row for the past I don't know how many nights. Hayden slept for 6 hour stretches when she was 6 weeks old. But she cried a lot during the day and Deacon doesn't so I think it's a fair trade-off.
Tyler is out of town for the next 2 nights and with these frigid temps it's not looking like I'll be venturing too far from home. I had to get this blog-post out before cabin fever sinks in otherwise you'd be deciphering unintelligible gibberish.
I never know how to end these things...
ttyl! Liza
My joy at being at this event was made all the more joyous due to Deacon being a perfect angel throughout the night. Hayden, we left with Grandma and Grandpa. We could have brought her and I know she would have had fun with the other little ones running around and dancing, but I put my own enjoyment first for this occasion and it was worth it. I can't even express the pleasure of returning home after the wedding and not having to undress and put to bed a cranky, over-tired toddler. Deacon slept peacefully in his car-seat upon our return allowing Tyler and I some much needed Q.T. His work X-mas party was also on Saturday but he ended up skipping it.
Now, if only I could sleep at night...
Lucky for me, I like being awake so I'm not too bitter about my lack of shut-eye. I'm also lucky that I am a night person. I like being awake - at night. Basically I'm a vampire. Then, in a crazy sci-fi twist, I become a zombie by day!! Not a flesh-eating zombie, just an expressionless, go-through-the-motions, Raffi-singing zombie. It's quite surreal. The longest Deacon has slept is 4 straight hours. That, I would gladly take though he hasn't slept more than 2 hours in a row for the past I don't know how many nights. Hayden slept for 6 hour stretches when she was 6 weeks old. But she cried a lot during the day and Deacon doesn't so I think it's a fair trade-off.
Tyler is out of town for the next 2 nights and with these frigid temps it's not looking like I'll be venturing too far from home. I had to get this blog-post out before cabin fever sinks in otherwise you'd be deciphering unintelligible gibberish.
I never know how to end these things...
ttyl! Liza
Sunday 1 December 2013
Single Parents - I Salute You
The Bedtime Routine Saga continues.... (sorry folks, this is my life at the moment! Bear with me!)
On Tuesday night when Tyler told me he would be out of town for another week and a half, I felt a wave of dread sweep over me - I would once again be the lone parent to look after a barely 2 year old and newborn - all day - all night..... SO once again, I packed my tiny Elantra literally to the roof with all our stuff and high-tailed it out to the farm to enjoy home-cooked meals and live-in babysitters. Two grandparents who are always more than willing to play with my busy bundle of toddler joy!
By day 3 reality sinks in - I have food in my fridge that needs to be eaten, mail piling up, plants that need to be watered, snow that needs to be shoveled (taken care of my mother-in-law God bless her.) All this plus the feeling that me and my crazy crew might be outstaying our welcome at the farm (even though my mom would insist that is never the case).
We came home to our North End Oasis on Friday and went about our day as usual. Then came 8:30 pm and Deacon, right on schedule, began his nightly fuss-fest. Why wouldn't I just skip Hayden's "bedtime routine", you might wonder. Perhaps if she wasn't still in diapers I could skip her bath. I just feel like Hayden needs this routine. She is an unbelievable sleeper and I would really love to keep it this way. I don't want to mess with any contributing factors.
Anyways, everything ended up going a lot smoother than I'd expected. Of course it would have been a lot "easier" with another pair of hands, but I know it will get easier in time. I just have to keep in mind that the only reason any situation ever seems "hard" is because we're comparing it to an experience in which we felt comfortable. I've forced myself out of my parenting comfort zone and now I feel like super mom! Stay tuned for the next week's gripping episode: Going Grocery Shopping. (jk)
Liza XO
On Tuesday night when Tyler told me he would be out of town for another week and a half, I felt a wave of dread sweep over me - I would once again be the lone parent to look after a barely 2 year old and newborn - all day - all night..... SO once again, I packed my tiny Elantra literally to the roof with all our stuff and high-tailed it out to the farm to enjoy home-cooked meals and live-in babysitters. Two grandparents who are always more than willing to play with my busy bundle of toddler joy!
By day 3 reality sinks in - I have food in my fridge that needs to be eaten, mail piling up, plants that need to be watered, snow that needs to be shoveled (taken care of my mother-in-law God bless her.) All this plus the feeling that me and my crazy crew might be outstaying our welcome at the farm (even though my mom would insist that is never the case).
We came home to our North End Oasis on Friday and went about our day as usual. Then came 8:30 pm and Deacon, right on schedule, began his nightly fuss-fest. Why wouldn't I just skip Hayden's "bedtime routine", you might wonder. Perhaps if she wasn't still in diapers I could skip her bath. I just feel like Hayden needs this routine. She is an unbelievable sleeper and I would really love to keep it this way. I don't want to mess with any contributing factors.
Anyways, everything ended up going a lot smoother than I'd expected. Of course it would have been a lot "easier" with another pair of hands, but I know it will get easier in time. I just have to keep in mind that the only reason any situation ever seems "hard" is because we're comparing it to an experience in which we felt comfortable. I've forced myself out of my parenting comfort zone and now I feel like super mom! Stay tuned for the next week's gripping episode: Going Grocery Shopping. (jk)
Liza XO
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