I was working up a post in my head about happy, innocuous things, but who am I kidding? It’s been a rough few days and things aren’t looking up.
It’s partly due to pregnancy hormones, I know, and the weather (cold and dreary and slippery), and also the fact that I am starting to have trouble completing normal household chores, you know, like the ones that involve bending over or repeated movements or shoving (like vacuuming). I ironed for an hour and a half last night. It hurt my hips, which then made it tough to sleep, and I’m a bit sore still today. Damn you, stretchy ligaments!
Anyway. We’re potty training Charles, and it’s stressful. We’ve read books and watched videos, but I don’t think Charles is particularly interested in them. The only way I could explain to him how to go was to say, “Try to fart, Charles.” Because this kid loves farting. He thinks it’s the funniest thing on the planet, the noise is awesome, the power he has over his butt is awesome… everything about it is awesome to him. So yeah, that worked, actually. But I haven’t found any way to explain to him how to know he has to go before he goes. Mostly he just hates peeing his pants, so I’m taking away diapers. Then he goes a little bit in his pants, stops himself because it’s wet, and then we go to the bathroom. This means a LOT more laundry for me. See the above paragraph about chores that are starting to hurt.
And you know what? There are a ton more chores when you’re pregnant than otherwise. When I’m not pregnant, do I care about the state of the baseboards in my house? No, of course not. But now, now, I am certain that they all need to be thoroughly cleaned and the desire to do so has become urgent. Do you know where baseboards are? Yes, that’s right, in order to get to them I have to bend over and/or get on my hands and knees. Ouch! Just one of many tasks I feel must be done before this baby arrives.
Being as exhausted as I am, Charles and I are watching a lot more internet video and movies lately. I’m feeling like a pretty bad parent when I plop him in front of Thomas the Tank Engine for an hour because I have to sleep, but I guess I can’t think of any alternatives. I parent alone most of the day and I am just not up to rough-and-tumble play all day long. And my poor Buster dog. He hasn’t had much exercise lately, resulting in the re-emergence of a limp in his front leg (sometimes it looks like the right leg, sometimes the left). When he’s limbered up from a walk or run everyday, he doesn’t do too badly, but when he goes for stretches of days without one (you know, like when it is snowing or raining), his big-dog body gets stiff. I wish I could be a better dog mom, but going out into the snow and rain is beyond my capabilities at the moment.
Sigh. Sometime between now and Friday morning, I have to pack up myself, Charles, and Buster for a weekend of scrapbooking in Seaside. I had hoped to finish the book I’ve been working on for a couple of years before starting on Charles’ baby book, but alas, I just can’t find enough time.
So yeah, it’s a lot of things that are getting me down. An accumulation of suck that has led to a few crappy days. Any thoughts on a good, easy way to banish the blues? One that doesn’t involve lots of time or money or other people doing things for me (because the other people in my life are very, very busy)?
3 comments:
The sun that followed our wind storm today helped me a little bit. But, we are sometimes powerless in the face of those stupid, unproductive hormones, aren't we?
Indeed. Hormones. Not cool.
From one good mom to another, plopping your child down for an hour of rest is not abuse, in fact, I'm sure it helps you be a better mom the rest of the time. And I'm saying that as one who did it regularly after Jack was born.
Maybe you can get Charles to clean the baseboards. :)
I'm impressed that you're jumping into potty training while pregnant. Well done! And great that he's stopping himself to go in the potty. It will come. A friend of mine said she went two weeks of changing clothes instead of diapers, then her son got the hang of it. Especially when he figured out he could stand up and pee into the potty. He thought he was "the man". Hang in there.
Well, there's not much choice about the potty training thing on our end - a few days ago, Charles refused to let me strap on a diaper, and I am in no shape to wrestle him, so I let him pick out some underwear. I try to be low-key about it, but man, he is a stubborn child. One day it's no diapers, the next day, no underwear. MAKE UP YOUR MIND.
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