I Will Survive

"It took all the strength I had not to fall apart..."

That line is ringing in my head. We are closing Day 6 of No Daddy Week - 2 days to go. I feel like a damp wrung out towel. My dogs are looking at me with sad eyes and my baby keeps chanting "DAH DAH DAH DAH" as if I need a reminder of what's missing from our daily picture.

The week has flown and crawled simultaneously. You don't think that's possible? Oh. It is.

On three separate evenings in the past 5 days I have managed to work myself into crisis management situations. Getting home without enough time to breath between the evening tasks.

The Evening Tasks this night are as follows:

1. Give Liam antibiotics ("the pink stuff") for ear infection he acquired as the door closed behind his Dad in the Town Car taking him to the airport for Seattle
2. Supply Liam with a constant stream of Cheerios and Finger Puffs while preparing the dogs dinner (dry & wet food mixed)
3. Watch Lily catch Cheerios.
4. Feed dogs
5. Prepare Liam's dinner
6. Tell Lily repeatedly not to eat Daisy's food
7. Start feeding Liam
8. Start the In&Out Post-Dinner Game with dogs
9. Feed Liam
10. See #8
11. Clean Liam after he has wrestled the spoon to the highchair tray
12. Bring Liam upstairs to get into pajamas.
13. Listen to Lily bark at the passing cars she can't see.
14. Attempt to soothe Liam who does not wish to be changed
15. Put in Liam's right leg as he removes his left from his pajama bottom.
16. Repeat #15 in reverse.
17. Again.
18. Again.
19. Feel victorious as the pants are pulled up successfully.
20. Hear Liam poop.
21. Back to #14.
22. Walk around upstairs closing blinds and saying "Goodnight trees" "Goodnight Sal & June [neighbors]" "Goodnight dog poop"
23. Realize Liam's blanky and bear are still in the bag downstairs.
24. Retrieve items and go back upstairs carrying 26 lbs and sweating profusely.
25. Turn on humidifier and space heater.
26. Say "Goodnight light."
27. Go to rocking chair and nurse Liam.
28. Liam plays with my hair while he nurses.
29. Lily barks and Liam turns his head and his pajama collar gets sprayed with milk.
30. Liam, "DAHDAHDAHDAH"
31. Insert binky.
32. Rock as Liam stretches and attempts back handsprings from my lap.
33. Announce that it's bedtime and deposit Liam into his crib.
34. Go downstairs and let the dogs out/in.
35. Listen to Liam fuss off and on for 15 mins.
36. Go upstairs to help Liam settle.
37. Discover he is laying in his own spit up.
38. "Hello, light."
39. Deposit Liam on the floor with friends and strip the bed.
40. Appreciate that he didn't get any on his pajamas and thank God for small favors.
41. Wrestle with the fitted sheet onto the mattress and ponder how many calories are being burned with high-speed bed change
42. Wash Liam's face and apologize for not doing it first before wrestling with bedsheets.
43. "Goodnight light"
44. Rock.
45. More infant gymnastics.
46. Deposit into crib.
47. "Goodnight Liam"
48. Close door.
49. Fall into puddle outside door.
50. One more night alone.