Rebecca had a play date with her friend Eva. I dropped her off at 12:52 promptly after skating. Peggy, Eva's mother answered the door and greats us with a "Just in time. We just set the table!" I did what I always do when leaving Rebecca off at a play date and told her to be good. I know she doesn't need this reminder at 9, but it's a tough habit to break! As I left, I shook my head in disbelief... she set the table for lunch??? I know Peggy enough to know that my daughter will not be served the same pb&j on whole wheat that I serve our friends, but a lovely sit down meal. As I write this I imagine a white table cloth too!
I came home and the blueberry cake (recipe on my food blog) was taken out of the oven for me. (Thank you Don!) I made the boys lunch (ham sandwiches, pickles and a few Pringles) and emptied the dishwasher and cleaned the kitchen mess from the blueberry bread. (Alexander "helped" so I had double the mess.) I tossed a couple of loads in to the machine and folded a couple too. (I have 6 folded baskets in the laundry room...they will find their way up stairs one day.) Then I came out to join the boys. After a while Alexander was getting tired (read cranky!) and I managed to get him to come inside for a nap. (A little Blue's Clues to settle him down.) After half an hour he was in Dream Land. I sent Christopher up to the play room for a little quiet time so I could have some too! I had to watch the final episode of the Next Food Network Star as I fell asleep before I could learn the winner the previous night!
An hour later I looked up and noticed that it was time to get Becca. Alexander was still asleep. I let him be and told Don (who was asleep on our bed) that I was leaving. I snuck out! I got to Eva's house in plenty of time so I had a few minutes to sit and chat. Peggy was telling me that she got a lot of ironing done while the girls were in the pool. (Ironing?!!!) She can stand and iron and watch the girls out the window. She went on to tell me how she irons T-shirts and jeans... (T-shirts and jeans??!!) Man, the only things that get ironed around here happen to come home from the dry cleaners.
When Rebecca and I were in the car I asked what she had for lunch -- part of my anal-rententive control-freak thing. I do this with all the kids. She told me that she had chicken, potatoes and asparagus. A real meal??!! And then she tells me that "Eva's mom has an iron... an actual iron!"
Her house was immaculate. Spotless. Not a spec of dirt. Not a crumb. No dust. No nothin'. Agh... On my best day my house is not as tidy. And she apologized for her mess! I have been put to shame. I am not a good mother. I do not cook hot meals 3x a day. My house is far from spotless. My sink has dishes in it. My floors are covered with dirt and grass, and now, thanks to Rebecca, watermelon spillage.
I am distracted by my bad-motherness when we get to the rinks. Instead of dwelling on the good mom and wife that my friend Peggy is and the negligent mom that I am, I watch my daughter glide across the ice... and pick up the cell phone...
We get back home at 7:22. I am tired even though I have admittedly not done too much today. I get home to learn that Alexander has only just gotten up from a nap and Christopher is still in the play room. (Daddy wasn't feeling too well today.) All three kids are hungry and the kitchen is as messy as I had left it...
Screw it! Left over pizza for dinner! I warm up the indoor grill and begin my tidying up. I get the kids' dinner set up outside. I cut up fresh fruit for dessert and pour myself a nice glass of red wine. I join them.
It is now 9:15 and it has been almost 2 hours. Rebecca should be in bed. She has camp at 8:30 in the morning. Alexander will be up for hours... maybe. I have my wine (glass number 2!) and 4 fireflies in the jar next to me. The kids are in their swimsuits. We have the lights on under the market umbrella. The crickets are chirping. We are outside and enjoying our evening. Alexander is asking about the crickets. He has just finished his watermelon. Now he hears a doggie in the distance. He likes to be outside in the darkey he tells me. So maybe like art, good moms are in the eyes of the beholder! And maybe, despite my complete lack of housewifely abilities, some will see me as a good mom after all.
I came home and the blueberry cake (recipe on my food blog) was taken out of the oven for me. (Thank you Don!) I made the boys lunch (ham sandwiches, pickles and a few Pringles) and emptied the dishwasher and cleaned the kitchen mess from the blueberry bread. (Alexander "helped" so I had double the mess.) I tossed a couple of loads in to the machine and folded a couple too. (I have 6 folded baskets in the laundry room...they will find their way up stairs one day.) Then I came out to join the boys. After a while Alexander was getting tired (read cranky!) and I managed to get him to come inside for a nap. (A little Blue's Clues to settle him down.) After half an hour he was in Dream Land. I sent Christopher up to the play room for a little quiet time so I could have some too! I had to watch the final episode of the Next Food Network Star as I fell asleep before I could learn the winner the previous night!
An hour later I looked up and noticed that it was time to get Becca. Alexander was still asleep. I let him be and told Don (who was asleep on our bed) that I was leaving. I snuck out! I got to Eva's house in plenty of time so I had a few minutes to sit and chat. Peggy was telling me that she got a lot of ironing done while the girls were in the pool. (Ironing?!!!) She can stand and iron and watch the girls out the window. She went on to tell me how she irons T-shirts and jeans... (T-shirts and jeans??!!) Man, the only things that get ironed around here happen to come home from the dry cleaners.
When Rebecca and I were in the car I asked what she had for lunch -- part of my anal-rententive control-freak thing. I do this with all the kids. She told me that she had chicken, potatoes and asparagus. A real meal??!! And then she tells me that "Eva's mom has an iron... an actual iron!"
Her house was immaculate. Spotless. Not a spec of dirt. Not a crumb. No dust. No nothin'. Agh... On my best day my house is not as tidy. And she apologized for her mess! I have been put to shame. I am not a good mother. I do not cook hot meals 3x a day. My house is far from spotless. My sink has dishes in it. My floors are covered with dirt and grass, and now, thanks to Rebecca, watermelon spillage.
I am distracted by my bad-motherness when we get to the rinks. Instead of dwelling on the good mom and wife that my friend Peggy is and the negligent mom that I am, I watch my daughter glide across the ice... and pick up the cell phone...
We get back home at 7:22. I am tired even though I have admittedly not done too much today. I get home to learn that Alexander has only just gotten up from a nap and Christopher is still in the play room. (Daddy wasn't feeling too well today.) All three kids are hungry and the kitchen is as messy as I had left it...
Screw it! Left over pizza for dinner! I warm up the indoor grill and begin my tidying up. I get the kids' dinner set up outside. I cut up fresh fruit for dessert and pour myself a nice glass of red wine. I join them.
It is now 9:15 and it has been almost 2 hours. Rebecca should be in bed. She has camp at 8:30 in the morning. Alexander will be up for hours... maybe. I have my wine (glass number 2!) and 4 fireflies in the jar next to me. The kids are in their swimsuits. We have the lights on under the market umbrella. The crickets are chirping. We are outside and enjoying our evening. Alexander is asking about the crickets. He has just finished his watermelon. Now he hears a doggie in the distance. He likes to be outside in the darkey he tells me. So maybe like art, good moms are in the eyes of the beholder! And maybe, despite my complete lack of housewifely abilities, some will see me as a good mom after all.