I have the utmost respect for single parents. I know I don’t have it in me to be a single parent. Not even remotely. That being said, Seth left for Pittsburgh yesterday for a two day conference. He’ll be back late Tuesday night leaving me with three dinner times, three bed times, and two morning wake up routines all to myself. Yay me. Yes, I am superwoman, thank you for asking. I need a cape. Though a sidekick would be more useful, don’t you think?
Of course, not five minutes after Seth left, one of the cats threw up on the stairs. It’s like they were mocking me. One of my rules is that Seth is 100% responsible for any bodily fluids which come out of the cats. I am not a pet person. I don’t like being responsible for animals. I would rather be pet-free (and thereby dander-free) than deal with puke, pee, poop, etc. If I wanted to deal with bodily fluids, I would have had kids. Oh, wait… I did that.
This morning started at 4:30 with an exploding diaper from Sam who then frantically nursed for an hour. Then J threw up on the stairs on his way down to get his patch put on for the morning. Also, he was bouncing off the walls all farkin’ morning. It was a good morning. I expect tonight to be more of the same. Good times all around.
I don’t mind the single-parenting gig, actually. I love my kids. What I hate is the feeling of being trapped. What if I needed to go out? I can’t. With four sleeping children, I’m stranded. How do single parents handle this? I leave in the morning, drop J at school, go to work, dash out of work, pick J up, run home, meet the nanny to relieve her, get everyone fed, into bed, get J fed, into bed, and then I’m stranded. There’s no time for an extra errand, like if I had to stop at the pharmacy or grocery store or pick up the dry cleaning or whatever. How would I do that if Seth weren’t coming home Tuesday night? I guess I’d get a babysitter, but if I were a single parent with four young kids, how would I afford that? Did I mention that I have the utmost respect for single parents? I don’t know how you guys (and gals) do it!
Did I mention Ellie’s teething?
How many hours left until Seth comes home?
ChezPerky 
I have yet to get used to the feeling of being trapped once my son goes to bed. I will even get as far as planning out what errands I need to get done now that he is in bed, then I remember, HE IS IN BED. Congratulations on making it through the morning with 4 little ones, you really are supermom.
The stranded feeling after everything has finally settled down is one of the absolute worst things about the single parent gig for me… fortunately my hubbies “Mesopotamian vacation” with the ARMY will be over in a little less than one year and I’ll have my side kick back, as you put it! I didn’t know how I was going to survive this before he left, but somehow (by the grace of God, I suspect) you just do it because you have to.
So it would be wrong of me then to look up your hubby and take him on a tour of our fair city and then get him all liquoured up while he is in town then?
Cape, check.
I hate those days… And cat vomit.. ewwww.
Good grief!
Cat barf and a teething baby?!? If I didn’t live across the country from you I’d come over and help.
(I know, easy for me to say being as though I DO live across the country. But still.)
I wish you good luck and hope the hours pass quickly.
Oh man. I had a week of single parenting last week and made it out alive. But that was just one kid and no cats. (I’m a pansy and sent our very large, energetic dog to “camp” for the week.)
Good luck to you.
i love my dog, but next time A travels, the mutt goes to the kennel. yup- your super mom powers increase and impress us mere mortals.
Hey I live near Pittsburgh. Can I join the drink party, Susan? Oh wait, I have those 3 kids in bed. Oh well.
Actually, although I am not a single parent, I play one much of the time. My husband travels for business a lot. When he is home he isn’t here much. It is hard. I don’t do too many errands while he is gone. I try and go to the grocery store when he is home. Target is my best friend for anything else I need. Most of the time, trapped is my life. I’m used to it now but can’t ever say I love it. Love the kids, though.
Yeah, I don’t even know how you do it WITH Seth, much less with him away. Definitely an impressive feat.
although i had an enormous amount of help from my parents, i was still a single parent to lydia. and those stranded nights at home aren’t so awful. it is a different mindset and you know that no one else is there to pick up the slack so there is no expectation. and granted, i only had one little one, not 4. but, you know…you just do it. the same way you do it when you have triplets 🙂
I’m doing this every 3-6 weeks these days. No fun but I just have one child and no pets – thank G-d.