My husband and I are a team when it comes to parenting. When we had our first son, we agreed that since we both made this child that we would both have equal involvement with him. My husband threw himself into being a daddy immediately. He would get up with me in the middle of the night when I was nursing, just as support. He would change diapers, feed the overnight bottles(when we started on them) so I could rest, give baths and take our son places so I could relax for an hour or so.
To say I married an amazing man is pretty right on. Oh, he has his faults, as do I, but he is a great father and a great husband. He is so great that when he found out recently that he would need to go out of town for business for almost a week, he felt bad leaving me alone with the boys when I am already with them 24 hours a day. So, unbeknownst to me, he arranged to drive his boys three hours to his parent’s house to leave them for a visit, drive back here and catch his plane. His dad would bring our boys back. He did this so that I would have three days of alone time for me!
Now, my husband and I have been away from our boys several times, but it is always my husband and I together, never me just by myself. To say I was thrilled would be an understatement. I couldn’t wait for my alone time to begin! I had my People magazine and my Soap Opera Digest (no need to fill my head with anything that causes me to think), I had junk food and my television. I was ready.
When my husband left with our boys, I did everything I had planned to do for me, in less than two hours. I had read my magazines, eaten my junk food and watched television. I called my mom. My house was too quiet, I was beginning to show signs of boredom. This wasn’t supposed to be happening! I had so needed Mommy alone time and now I had three full days of it, and I was bored after two hours! What would the rest of my weekend be like?
What happened that weekend? I had the “me” time I so desperately needed, but after a short bit of time I realized what I really needed was my husband and my boys. I always tell my husband just how noisy our boys are, but when they were gone for so long, I missed that noise. I always tell my husband how I dislike having to pick my house up all day long, but when my house was completely cleaned more than once that weekend, I realized I love that clutter. My house was too spotless without them.
Don’t get me wrong; I needed that time to myself. I saw some friends, went out to dinner and slept late (does 8:00 count as late?). I needed my batteries recharged, so to speak. I got it. I was though, anxiously waiting by our front door for them to arrive home. I just couldn’t wait to see them and hug them and kiss them.
They are home, my house is a mess and it is beyond loud in here. I am a more patient mommy though, because I got some much-deserved alone time. None of the other things matter so much, I realize that without my boys or my husband, my life isn’t clutter-free or mess-free, it is empty and boring. Thank goodness for alone time but it is nice to get back to the chaos that is my daily life.
When was your last mommy alone time?