Just Another Thursday

One day a week for the past three weeks I’ve been home with Tom and Olivia during the morning routine.

When I am home, Olivia expects me to do all the parenting. She’d rather Tom just make himself scarce.

Except, I think she appreciates him being there to remind me of the routine they’ve both perfected. The first Wednesday I took O to an early dentist appointment. We didn’t get home until about 10:30. At that point, Tom watched me make Olivia’s toast/banana/berries morning snack. It was almost as if he forgot that I’ve made toast and sliced a banana before.

After the toast has been buttered to his satisfaction, we made our way to the recliner because that’s where he feeds Olivia her morning snack. He watched every single bite I gave her. Not really a big deal but I started to think that he’d forgotten that I do actually make sure she eats on the weekends and even the week nights during dinner.

Ahem. After snack, he ‘helped’ me make her lunch. I know. I think the poor kids was very much overfed that morning. But she ate it so huh, she must have been hungry.

Then he made sure I knew how to watch for the bus. Insert eye rolling.

The very next Wednesday was more of the same. I felt like I had supervised visitation with my child.

Yesterday, though…Tom was sick. So sick he sat/lay on the recliner all morning/afternoon/evening. Every so often he’d give out a moan. Olivia asked him at one point why he kept making those noises. He told her to be quiet. Ha!

Due to his illness, Tom couldn’t supervise the morning routine and you know what? Olivia and I managed quite well on our own.

After I made Alyssa’s lunch while the girls ate their Lucky Charms, I put a batch of cookies in the oven. While the cookies baked, Alyssa helped me fill eight fancy bags to give away at Olivia’s V-day party.

We got Alyssa safely on the bus and Olivia and I headed upstairs where she lounged in front of the space heater, cooking her feet while I showered.

Then she and I went to the basement where we put in a load of laundry.

Upon returning upstairs, O asked if I would put in the movie Barbie: Princess Charm School. Would I? Of course I would because it would give me a chance to cut the brownies into heart shapes without O laying on the floor at my feet, trying to trip and kill me every three seconds.

I cut while she watched, only interrupting me twice, once to help her find her Barbie: Princess Charm School book and a second time to help her find a ‘fancy’ outfit.

Once the brownies were in cute heart shapes and frosted a nice Valentiney pink, we went back to the basement to move the laundry from the washer to the dryer. And then!! It was time for O’s morning snack.

Guess what? I made the toast, cut the banana and put the berries in the bowl all by myself!! And since Tom was moaning in the recliner, Olivia ate at the kitchen table.

While she ate, I put the pickles Alyssa wanted me to bring to her class V-day party in a travel bowl. Pickles. Sort of weird and yet refreshingly salty. Who knew today’s fourth graders enjoy pickles so much?

After snack, I brushed Olivia’s teeth and we drove eight miles to our county health department where Olivia got her second flu booster. When the lady gave her the shot, Olivia hissed and said, “Ahhhhhowwww.”

Then she gave the woman a look that clearly said, “What the hell?”

But there were no tears because there was instead a band aid with Ronald McDonald. So cool!

We went home where Olivia at her lunch, again with only me to make it. And we watched for the bus.

After taking her to school (we watched for the bus, waved it on and then followed it to the school so I could go in and ask her teacher what time the party started.) I went home for all of a half hour and then went back to the school for the parties.

I sort of wish this were my typical Thursday. I’d love to spend the mornings with my littlest and then the afternoons with both.

Alas, someone has to provide this family with insurance.

And lest anyone think I was ever actually offended by Tom’s ‘supervision.’ I wasn’t. Not really. I actually found it funny and when I consider the fact that maybe he just wants to be near me and Livie on the days I’m there with them, it’s actually kind of sweet. And I will give him the credit of actually developing the schedule they both love so much. Who am I to mess with what works?