Bowing Down to Single Parents
and those who have spouses on the night shift.
M. has had to inspect a bridge (he's a civil engineer) overnight all last week. Meaning he gets home from work a tad early, sleeps a few hours, his crew meets at our house at 8 pm and they're gone until 4 am or so. Also meaning, I have the kids all day and all night with no break. And "all night" really feels like ALL NIGHT when you have a 7-week-old and a toddler with the flu. Yes, they both just got over the flu. Although it seemed more like a chest cold. What's one way to freak out a mom? Tell her that a newborn with a fever is a medical emergency and that if she were to have a fever of 100.3, we must take her to the ER. Well, she never got a fever, thank God, but Little Guy had a 102. Which is OK, because he's a sturdy halfway to three year old. Children's Motrin took care of him, but his coughing and runny nose kept waking him up. So between the two of them alone all night was a challenge, to say the least.
So now he's feeling so much better and has been sleeping for a few hours. Little Q. went right to sleep after her 11 pm bottle, and now that I have some downtime to write on my blog for a few minutes? I just want to go to bed.
M. has had to inspect a bridge (he's a civil engineer) overnight all last week. Meaning he gets home from work a tad early, sleeps a few hours, his crew meets at our house at 8 pm and they're gone until 4 am or so. Also meaning, I have the kids all day and all night with no break. And "all night" really feels like ALL NIGHT when you have a 7-week-old and a toddler with the flu. Yes, they both just got over the flu. Although it seemed more like a chest cold. What's one way to freak out a mom? Tell her that a newborn with a fever is a medical emergency and that if she were to have a fever of 100.3, we must take her to the ER. Well, she never got a fever, thank God, but Little Guy had a 102. Which is OK, because he's a sturdy halfway to three year old. Children's Motrin took care of him, but his coughing and runny nose kept waking him up. So between the two of them alone all night was a challenge, to say the least.
So now he's feeling so much better and has been sleeping for a few hours. Little Q. went right to sleep after her 11 pm bottle, and now that I have some downtime to write on my blog for a few minutes? I just want to go to bed.
posted by Camille at 10:20 PM
3 Comments:
I'm so sorry. You must be exhausted. I hope the kids are feeling better, and that M comes home for the night soon.
We had a similar sounding bug here last week, and it's a doozy. I've still got off and on rattling in my chest. I sincerely hope winter leaves soon!
Liesl- Yes! They are all better now and M. is done with the inspection, although he didn't get home from work tonight until 7 pm. :( But at least he's here for the night now. And hopefully all the germs are gone now and everyone can have healthy springs and summers.
Of course for the spouse out working, he comes home and the spouse greeting him wants to have a break, but the working-outside-the-home guy needs to recuperate...What a tangled web of bliss. I don't have kids but I live with my mom who is the primary caregiver for my 92-year-old grandmother. It's basically the same thing. I get home to two people who clamp onto me wishing they could get away, when all I want is some peace at home. Ha! Ha! Even my dog greets me with "At last! You're home! Let's go for a walk!"
Post a Comment
<< Home