woah

There are days when I feel like someone should take away my title of parent and replace it with something like servant, both because it would be more accurate and because it would allow me to feel less guilt about my current level of job satisfaction.

Today was one of those days.

I took on a bit more than I should have after this crazy week of fire-photo chasing and general nuttyiness. There is nothing like two night meetings on a week with no husband and no babysitters handy to make me go to code red. Both times, I had no babysitter lined up for mandatory meetings hours before the meeting. Both times it worked out, but wow, I really have respect for single mothers.

So when my friend and fellow firefighter wife asked me if I could watch her kids last night I said yes, partly because I sympathize with her plight (she hasn't been able to get to work all week) and partly because I obviously need some childcare credit.

But three non-verbal kids in one house was an amazing situation. The littlest had a pretty good time, only getting sad when she really needed to go to sleep, and then falling asleep pretty fast. The 2-year-old and Thea, however, fought continuously pretty much over whatever toy the other one was holding for about 3 of the 5 hours they were in the same room. The only breaks were when I threw markers and playdough at them and when we went outside. I seriously don't know how my friends who have more than 2 kids do it, and I also don't know how child care providers do it. Crazy.

The rest of the day was filled with registering Liam for Kachemak Kids Early Learning Center's summer program. And while time consuming and crazy with Thea along because she pretty much trashed the place in a matter of minutes (no, no, NOOO don't eat that glue stick.... ) it was a light at the end of the tunnel.

You see, two weeks from now, Thea and Liam will both be in daycare four days a week, 8 hours a day. That, my friends, is something to look forward to.

Matt is totally MIA - he has been home for a few hours' sleep a couple of times since the 1,000-plus acre fire blew up Wednesday and ran for the hills, burning houses and scorching miles of forest. But for all essential purposes, we don't hear much from his side of the world, and I don't expect to for at least a week. It's amazingly rainy today, despite a previous prediction for sunny weather all week. And the fire is quite mellow, but Matt is a strike team leader (dont ask me what that means) so he's going to be out there for a while.

Liam bears the brunt of this stress - although I did manage to holler at Thea plenty of times this week - heck - today! Currently she has emptied all the boots out of the boot bin and is sitting in it, covered in ash, in an attempt to get my attention. A few minutes ago, she was chucking dominos at me. They were NOT plastic, and she has a surprisingly swift overhand (can you say softball?)

Liam on the other hand, does lots of obnoxious stuff like hiding and bursting out from behind corners. And oh my god he is horrible with 2 year olds. I am seeing my future and it is a bit grim.