Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Back to School Blues

Yesterday, I had 2.5 hours to myself after getting my kids off to school and before my little guy returned from his pre-school summer camp.  I wrote one chapter.  My sister called, so we talked for a few minutes - a rare thing.  I ate a cup of cereal with a fork (the dishes weren't done the night before).  And I got a shower.

Even though I only wrote one chapter - my pre-summer self used to be able to pound out two in a sitting - it was a difficult one, one that I've been putting off.  This morning I'm not sure about it - I don't think it moves along as quickly as the rest. 

Maybe that's because I'm exhausted.  Just like my character, I am a bit used up, more today than yesterday. 

Yesterday afternoon after I picked up my babes from school, we had an indoor picnic with leftover pizza and fishie crackers.  We did puzzles - the same two twelve-piece puzzles over and over until he could do them with confidence, which was awesome to witness.  We played trains, played restaurant with plastic food, did art with twistable crayons, painted with water colors (my favorite part of the day), did two loads of dishes (that was me, not him), had snacks, and then completely ran out of things to do.  I was so tired and needed a nap.  He was full of energy and wouldn't take a nap.  So we sat together and sang songs. 

We started counting down the minutes to my daughter coming home from high school.  I had an overwhelming sense of appreciation for my kids, for how much they have helped out over the summer while I've been trying to recover from my back and foot injury.  Then I looked at the clock again - it was 2:00.  Then I realized it was my son - my ten year old - not my daughter that had been such a help over the summer in the mornings.  My daughter was usually just crawling out of bed at 2:00.  She definitely helped in the afternoons, but the morning was when I needed help. 

My daughter finally came home, was super-tired since she had stayed up most of the night, and went to sleep.  When my son came home, I finally got a rest.  He played with my little guy until dinner was ready and for a while after we ate. 

Before bed, I did make a point of telling my middle son how much I appreciate him.  He's a huge help and never complains.  He loves playing with his brother and including him in whatever he does.  And when he wants time to himself, he often helps me out anyway just because he can see I need the help. 

6 comments:

  1. Oh how wonderful that your children are so helpful.

    It takes time to switch gears sometimes. I find it so when I switch from one project to another and when my schedule shifts from nonobservatory schedule to observatory schedule.

    Yesterday, I was chewing my lips thinking there's just not enough time in a day.

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  2. Middle kids tend to be the stable, reliable ones!

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  3. I'm exhausted just reading this! It's so nice that you play so much with your little guy and that your son is such a huge help to you! It sounds like your daughter also helps out when she can. Don't forget to take care of yourself too. Julie

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  4. You have such precious children. How lucky you are to have helpful kids like that. And what a good mom you are to play trains and put together puzzles.

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  5. @MPax - Yeah, maybe I need to give myself a couple of weeks to get back in the groove. My babes is definitely out of sorts without his sibs to play with.

    @Alex - I'm guessing you are a middle kid. :) I thought it would be more like a Jan Brady situation, but he's been great with his little brother.

    @Julie - I think if I can get more sleep it will be easier soon.

    @Angela - You know how it goes...once I gave the compliment, they were done helping. He doesn't really give me much of a choice - he's not the kind of kid that likes to play alone. Only my middle guy was - still is - introvert like me.

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  6. Sounds like you have got yourself some good children. Take care of yourself and have a great weekend.

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