So now it's fall, and the Boy is in preschool for three hours a day every afternoon. Last year this meant three free hours. This year it means walk him to school with the Baby, take the Baby home for his nap while I make or prep dinner, then have a little Mama time alone until it's time to pick up the Boy. I'm a damn 1950s housewife.
But we're into a routine, and we're home alot more, and making fewer plans, which results in a lot more time for the three of us. And I'm starting to feel a little penned in in this apartment. That second boy is making me long for some more space, a kitchen where I can have them play while I cook, a yard they can go run out in while I sit out there bleakly, trying to wake up with that first coffee.
Scary. My husband, of course, does not want to leave the city. There are a lot of cons for him, I admit. The commute, for one. As it is, he maybe sees the boys for half an hour in the morning, and sometimes half an hour at night. But for the Boys first day of preschool he came home and we all walked him to school as a family, and P worked from home for the rest of the day. He won't get to do any of that, and now that we are successfully nap free, he will not see them at all during the day during the week. Sucky deal for everyone.
And I am the one with the suburbs issues. I spent some very unhappy years there as an adult, and my life didn't truly change until I came back to the city. But I am starting to feel the pull, and I still do think it's best for the kids.
Though maybe not for me.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Friday, September 5, 2008
end of summer
So it's been a truly fabulous summer, and this was our last free week before the Boy starts preschool. I am a little bit in denial about this,because he's going five days a week. Only for three hours a day, but still. This means now, RIGHT NOW, he's going to start leaving me five days a week for the rest of his childhood. *sniff* Although the Baby will be happy, because that means three whole hours of uninterrupted mommy time and no one trying to shake his bouncy seat or yell in his face or kneel on him.
But Mama? This was the first week I've had alone with both kids since the Baby was two months old - my temporary three month babysitter ended up staying until Labor Day, and man, it was bliss. She came early in the morning, and I could make the beds and shower and clean up, then take the Boy out for some mama time (not so easy to go on our beloved NYC excursions with a three year old and an infant.) Then we'd all go to the playground, and the babysitter did the kids laundry, and maaaaaaaannnn, I miss that woman. Not that I'm complaining - I would never have imagined that I'd have that luxury.
The good news is that the Boy dropped his nap,. which has turned out to be fabulous - we're out all day and then home by late afternoon and I'm finding it much easier to keep on top of things. Home at 4, start dinner while kids are still happy, baths before dinner, dinner by 6, Baby asleep at 7, Boy in bed reading books by 7:05. So I've had evenings to get shit done. And I must say, having a second child has definitely increased my housework tenfold. Not sure why that should be, but it is. And while I love staying home with my kids, the whole housewife thing is not really my strong suit. But I'm working on it. Luckily, I set the bar very low from day one with my man, so he considers any sort of dinner a bonus.
And now that I have some evenings to myself, maybe I'll write some more. These days are going by fast, so fast, and I'm going to be sad to see them go.
And while I'm talking about chronicling:
The Baby is now 6 months, with a Buddha belly and fat little leg rolls and a bald round head. He has his two bottom teeth, his two top are just breaking through, and he eats anything you put in front of him, although his current favorite is a whole skinned plum. He wakes up happy and gurgling, and when he sees me over the top of his crib his whole face breaks into a huge smile and he kicks his legs like crazy. I could eat him up. And he sleeps 11 hours a night, too.
And the Boy. The boy is getting so big so fast, the big round eyes and cheeks thinned out into the face of a boy. I look at pictures of him at 9 months, at 1 year, and I can't believe how he's grown. He's an awesome kid, although he never, never stops talking, never stops asking why. He loves music, is currently obsessed with a rather annoying bluegrass CD of his dads, and he listens to the entire thing no less than three times a day, playing his guitar,shaking his head, and singing along. He loves his scooter, and chicken stew from the restaurant on the corner, and playing car wash. And he is thoroughly a city kid. About to go to preschool, five days a week.
But Mama? This was the first week I've had alone with both kids since the Baby was two months old - my temporary three month babysitter ended up staying until Labor Day, and man, it was bliss. She came early in the morning, and I could make the beds and shower and clean up, then take the Boy out for some mama time (not so easy to go on our beloved NYC excursions with a three year old and an infant.) Then we'd all go to the playground, and the babysitter did the kids laundry, and maaaaaaaannnn, I miss that woman. Not that I'm complaining - I would never have imagined that I'd have that luxury.
The good news is that the Boy dropped his nap,. which has turned out to be fabulous - we're out all day and then home by late afternoon and I'm finding it much easier to keep on top of things. Home at 4, start dinner while kids are still happy, baths before dinner, dinner by 6, Baby asleep at 7, Boy in bed reading books by 7:05. So I've had evenings to get shit done. And I must say, having a second child has definitely increased my housework tenfold. Not sure why that should be, but it is. And while I love staying home with my kids, the whole housewife thing is not really my strong suit. But I'm working on it. Luckily, I set the bar very low from day one with my man, so he considers any sort of dinner a bonus.
And now that I have some evenings to myself, maybe I'll write some more. These days are going by fast, so fast, and I'm going to be sad to see them go.
And while I'm talking about chronicling:
The Baby is now 6 months, with a Buddha belly and fat little leg rolls and a bald round head. He has his two bottom teeth, his two top are just breaking through, and he eats anything you put in front of him, although his current favorite is a whole skinned plum. He wakes up happy and gurgling, and when he sees me over the top of his crib his whole face breaks into a huge smile and he kicks his legs like crazy. I could eat him up. And he sleeps 11 hours a night, too.
And the Boy. The boy is getting so big so fast, the big round eyes and cheeks thinned out into the face of a boy. I look at pictures of him at 9 months, at 1 year, and I can't believe how he's grown. He's an awesome kid, although he never, never stops talking, never stops asking why. He loves music, is currently obsessed with a rather annoying bluegrass CD of his dads, and he listens to the entire thing no less than three times a day, playing his guitar,shaking his head, and singing along. He loves his scooter, and chicken stew from the restaurant on the corner, and playing car wash. And he is thoroughly a city kid. About to go to preschool, five days a week.
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