May 14: Balls, bubbles, and bellyaches

Monday – all kids up and out and it’s to work in the city for me.

Highlights of My Morning and Commute:

• Red and Big Bro both found clothes they liked since all laundry was done and in their rooms with all of their favorites.
• Red was having trouble finding a “house” that came with a pajamas gift for her over the weekend. She likes to carry around her things in this box, along with all of the other bags of her favorites. Twin Husky over-heard this and he remembered where the box was. He took us to my room and there it was! I praised him and made a big deal about how he helped Red to find what she was looking for and how great that was. How much of a good brother he was and how he must love his sister. He was smiling from ear to ear. I said how it must feel good to help someone and how wonderful it was and how happy Red was. He was jumping up and down and smiling at this point. He even reached out and gave Red a hug.
• Twin Husky was walking around and playing with a “light saver” toy of Big Bro’s (actually, he found it somewhere and I need to figure out where so we can return it). Twin Husky was so cute swinging the thing around and acting like a big boy.
• Big Bro had a splinter in his foot this morning so I spent some time tweezing it out. It was a small sucker but he (Big Bro) put up a fight.
• Twin Crazy was VERY clingy this morning. She was also asking for a lot of water. I felt her head and she felt slightly feverish. Poor thing. I hope its not too bad. I packed some medicine for her with the rest of their daycare things.
• Big Bro headed out with the Motley Crew – he is the leader of the pack today.
• I dropped Red off and was making fun of her and all of her stuff…. backpacks, knapsacks, a purse, the pajama box, her hat, a jacket…. she looks like a bag lady.

The ferry ride in was fine; I talked most of the way with a neighbor.

Highlights of My Working Day:

• I organized the conferencing capability for our sales call tomorrow. We will be using a WebEx service and I needed to get familiar with it. I made changes to the discussion document and sent it out to the internal team for review. I made some changes to it after talking with my Director. I also talked with our partner on it as well so I think we’re in good shape. I hope this turns into something – I would love to have this initiative launched and attached to my name.
• I also reworked the Executive Summary for the client deliverable from last week and sent to our client. The deliverable itself needs work and I will be the one that has to do it, I have a feeling. I’ll wait on that for tomorrow AM and Wednesday.

I’m on the ferry now and it is really nice outside. I’m looking forward to getting the kids. I need to see them and hug them. I need some reassurance today.

Over the weekend we talked to the kids about “two homes” and there were no tears – I think that will be to come. They understand the concept of two different houses with time with daddy and time with mommy. Later on on Saturday night I talked to them about it again and told them that I went through it when I was a kid and it felt scary and new; that they can always talk with me and if they have any questions. Red wanted to know what would happen if my house breaks when I am there alone. She also wanted to know what would I do if I am alone. “I will think of you kids and I will miss you. But I will know that I’ll see you again real soon.” Big Bro wanted to know if there are kids there and if they are nice. They liked the idea of the chickens. They wanted to see pictures of the house so I showed them. They asked if I could keep our existing house and have co-parent go to the other house. They wanted to get new Legos for the new house. We will visit it next weekend and it will get harder once the separation actually happens. I was soooooooooooo scared for this first talk but it went easier than expected. Probably because the kids don’t understand. I asked if they were sad and they didn’t know. I asked them if they were more like confused, and they said yes. So they are confused, do not know what is happening. Big Bro is upset that I won’t be with him riding bikes to school anymore. But that would happen anyway since there will be a change for the summer. He doesn’t understand that either. I guess I just have to take this slowly with them.

Dinner and Bedtime:

• I picked up Red with her tons of stuff. We were joking about all of her things on the way to the car.
• We picked up the Twins and yes, Twin Crazy was very sick today. 103.5 fever! The daycare provider only has the twins so she gave her medicine and put cold towels on her to bring the fever down – she also has a stomach issue with bad poops all day long. I knew the little girl was not right this morning. She was sooooo clingy – drinking lots of water and had a slight temperature. I didn’t think it would be THAT bad though.
• I picked up Big Bro and followed him home as he rode his bike. While we were waiting for him to arrive on his bike I looked back and Twin Crazy had on a pair of Mr. Potato Head eyeglasses on, but upside-down and on her forehead. She cracks me up.
• At home, I made dinner while the kids played outside. Balls and bubbles. Twin Crazy was playing which was good.
• After dinner we played with Legos, read books. Big Bro and Twin Husky were playing ball together which I LOVED watching. I helped Big Bro find the Lego pieces he needed. Twin Husky was busy kicking balls and throwing toys over the dollhouse.
• Twin Crazy tried to eat some Jello but was not that interested in it.
• Bedtime with Red and Big Bro was fine. They are both quiet up there now and I think are drifting off to sleep. Red had her pile of stuff all over the floor of her bed.

I am very, very tired. I hope Twin Crazy is OK tonight. I’ll likely wake up to check on her because of the high fever she had today.

Til tomorrow –
– Mama K