That's Okay, I Didn't Want To Go Anyway

I am having one of those weeks where I am so glad to be a stay-at-home mom. The Husband, that poor man, has to travel around Europe for an entire week with only one meeting each day to occupy his time. Lucky for me, I don’t have a real job, so I get to stay at home with the three kids and two dogs.

While he was suffering through an 8 hour plane ride sans children, I was relishing the aftermath of Baby Girl eating too much blue frosting over the holiday weekend. I surely wouldn’t want to trade scrubbing smurf poo off of Baby Girl for in-flight movies and unlimited soft drink service. He was so sad about  missing the whole thing that he actually had to take a nap.

His first day in Dussesldorf was probably the hardest for him. He had most of the day free with nothing to do besides think about how much he missed his family. He tried to cheer himself up by tooling around on a rental bike, taking in the sights, and looking for another ginormous soft pretzel, but I don’t think that can compare to hearing the sweet sound of Eldest saying, “it is just not the same without Daddy, but I am glad that you are still here working for me.” <sniff, sniff>

Each night The Husband goes out to a leisurely dinner with a few colleagues. Luckily, I don’t have to sit down and eat a meal. I grab a couple oreos before I take Baby girl upstairs to read bedtime stories. While the love of my life suffers through adult conversation, Red helps me with his sister by stomping up the stairs and screaming important information such as there is a bunny in the backyard and it is eating grass.

After dinner, The Husband comes back to his empty hotel room where he watches a little tv before bed. Thank the heavens I do not have to endure that! Each and every night since he left, a thunderstorm has rolled in just as the boys were ready to get into bed. It has given us all something to talk about. If they had fallen asleep on time I would have been all alone with nothing but a book and a glass of wine to pass the empty evening.

I know for a fact that The Husband is missing the dogs. The Fuzzy Wonder is 12 years old and has always been his baby. He is in charge of letting her out in the middle of the night to take care of her senior bladder issues. Having him gone has given me the opportunity to bond with Fuzzy several times instead of sleeping. I bet The Husband is feeling lonely in that big hotelnbed without the dog barking sharply in his ear.

The Husband likes to begin his day with a nice long walk. Usually, he has Rescue Mutt for a walking budding, but I get to walk her this week. While he is all alone, strolling down the cobbled lanes of Lyon in the early hours of the morning, the smell of baking bread wafting in the breeze, I am walking Rescue Mutt in loops around the house before the kids wake up. She really appreciates my efforts and shows her gratitude by shitting in the baby’s room as soon as we come inside.

I was getting to excited by all the fun I have been having, so I hid out in the bathroom to write this. I did not bring the power cord and the low battery warning suggests that it is time to finish up. I am feeling a little deprived since I have not refilled a sippy cup in a couple of minutes anyway. Fortunately for The Husband, he comes home in two days. I am going to thank him for the chance to experience all of these wonderful moments by letting him take care of our little angels for the entire weekend. That way he can have his own opportunity to make some wonderful memories. I am a giver.