Weekends. Busy.

I remember back when I studied for my MBA. I did it part time.  I was working full time and I had to attend classes on a Saturday and Monday night.  The rest of the weekend was usually spent studying or working on some assignment.  When I wasn’t drinking. What? If motherhood isn’t going to put me off my wine, do you think a piddly little MBA is going to?

 There was so much to cram into one weekend with studying etc and I remember thinking at the time ‘what on earth did I do with my weekends before this MBA?’ (Hint: wine drinking, partying, sleeping, socializing etc)

 Well, it is 05:00am on a Monday morning and I am up early so that I could answer some personal emails before my working week starts. Weekends are unbelievably busy with the kids. Weekends are all about the kids.  Besides the activities we do (this weekend we had something on every day), the daily routine of eating / dressing / nappy changes / naps / baths etc makes the days fly by. 

 This weekend we went for breakfast and a little play at a sweet outside mall. The kids love it there because there are little water fountains and pebble ponds, so they can run around and be silly.  The bonus is, I get to sit for about 4 minutes at a time, until I have to get up to say ‘don’t touch the wires / get down from there / KATE COME BACK HERE!’ 

 Then into the shop to buy nappies and formula (yes, my kids are still on formula, at least it is one semi-nutritious meal they have. We are going through a rebellious phase where they will only eat spag bol for supper) and home for a nap.  Sat afternoon we had a kiddie party on, then on to my mom’s house for a swim.  Back home for supper (spag bol), bath, bottle and bed and wine for mom.

 Sunday morning off to the play place where I can sit for at least five minutes at a time because there are helpers there who love my kids (I’ve already asked the one teenager if she didn’t want to come live with us, the kids adore her).  Longer than five minutes I am summonsed to ‘mama come look’ or ‘mama come ride da bike’ Mama is too big my boy, I can’t ride the bike. ‘Ride da bike mama, ride da bike’. Ok then.  

 Back for a wash in the kitchen sink, something to eat, nap.  Sunday afternoon off to the mall to get groceries and a mini ‘walk around the mall’; stop at the horses on the way back to feed them ‘cawwots’ (GREAT excitement to do this), back home to attempt to feed them a chicken dish which they refused. Throw entire dish away, make two minute noodles, spend 10 minutes persuading them to eat it, then bath, bottle bed.

 What on earth did I do on weekends before I had kids?

 (Hint: Slept in, relaxed, READ BOOKS, had alone time, worked, spent hours in coffee shop with husband, not getting up once. Ate entire meals slowly, warm and in peace.  Studied for an MBA. Did egg retrievals, embryo transfers. Recovered in hospital after laparoscopies, D&C’s and losses. Hoped, cried, yearned. Ached.) 

 Yeah. My weekends are unbelievably hectic, and I wouldn't swap it for the world.

Comments

[Sheri Bheri]

Oh Tertia! Didn't anyone ever tell you about the Toddler Air Diet? Where they seem to subsist on AIR for days at a time.

Or else, maybe you haven't been informed about the White Food Group? Where toddlers (and some adults I know) will only eat WHITE food, white pasta, white rice, white bread, white cheese. I can even get my 27 m/o to eat cauliflower (because it's WHITE).

Good luck - this too shall pass.

[Carmen]

What a beautiful post! I feel exactly the same way since we adopted our son. I sometimes wonder how I spent all that time before him, how many hours I had all to myself and how I actually had time to have that thing I used to call a "hobby". LOL.
But now it's better. Much better. :-) I look forward to my Saturday afternoon 3 hour "dates" with my husband where we can be together while our son is enjoying himself with his grandparents. But you know what? Even though I have a great time with my DH, I can't help but miss my son so much those 3 hours. Isn't motherhood the greatest thing?

[vvictoria]

Tertia, I was so sad to see that Rose did not pass her Learner's Permit exam. I was thinking of her all weekend. Please tell her not to give up. I know she can do it! Please tell her that your readers are rooting for her!

[jen]

"where they will only eat spag bol for supper"

i can think of worse things to subsist on - at least it contains most of the major foodgroups (if not all), as well as tomatoes (excellent anti-oxidants). don't worry about it :)

[Carol]

I know. This weekend we had a Chinese New Year party for my son's toddler group, a birthday party for one of my daughter's friends, and my DH and I argued over whether Malificent had any right to be slighted that she wasn't invited to Sleeping Beauty's christening, he arguing that it was rude of them to invite everyone but her and I arguing that maybe Malificent needs to explore with her therapist why she doesn't get invited to parties in the first place. What did we do and argue about before kids? Probably the reason I can't remember is that it wasn't nearly as fun.

[cath]

Tertia. you write what i think. thank you.

[Alley]

This last week-end wasn't too bad as far as 'stuff' was concerned. Which is just further proof of the universe's sense of humour because as of yesterday, my 8 month old twins, my husband and my sisters live-in-boyfriend ALL have chicken pox. And as if that isn't bad enough, my sister seems to be getting shingles! *sigh* clearly this week-end will be a different story.

So wish that we were back in SA enjoying the sunshine rather than holed up in the UK through the grey winter :-)

Glad to hear you're back in high spirits Tertia hun.

Alley

[Judy]

Can't wait to see where you are in a few years when you have school activities, sports and the like going on.

This is just the beginning, my friend!

[Jennifer]

I loved the ending to this post. Beautiful.

I was amazingly efficient when I got my part-time MBA as well. That is nothing compared to now!

[JennyK]

I *used* to think I was busy, too.

[Liza]

What in the world is "spagh bol?" Sounds like my weekends.