Another Day as a Single Parent

It’s Teachers' Appreciation Week.. not a lot of warning, if at all. SW was adamant that we get his two teachers coffee. Greeeeeeeat. What do you even get people these days? Especially when one of them is [potentially] nursing.  Caff? Decaff? Low Fat? Soy? Hot? Cold? Coffee? Tea? Too many options... too many ways to go wrong. Makes me wonder how and why people chose to give flowers.. what if the recipient has allergies? Americans. We're all weaklings, or privileged.

Ended up stopping by the Seattle based coffee company on ourway to school... which stretched out my commute time. Ugh... and like yesterday,  ended up, calling into a meeting while driving. It was a bear. Then got to late work, which then dominoes....

Single Parenthood is tough.  Got up earlier than usual to make SW a hearty breakfast for a long day of fun at the Tech Museum.  But underestimated the time needed to make a bag lunch... and I needed to hurry onto the road, so I can get to Seattle based coffee chain... so I can get to school... so I can get to work.  Nearly left the house without getting the booster.  Luckily SW reminded me as we were pulling out of the garage...

Single Parenthood is tough.  I picked up SW from coding - he was the last one there with the high school kid cuz I had meetings all day.  He saw me and jumped for joy!!! "What's our special event today??"  "Detective Pokemon."  "真係!?"  Then he follows with... "Bah B 我好肚餓啊。 Sandwich唔夠食."  Who wants their kids to go hungry?? Sigh....

Single Parenthood is tough.  An hour to get to the restaurant.. I have to get in line, order, get the food while answering a million questions about a movie I haven't seen.  (Just be patient... I tell myself).

Single Parenthood is tough.  You let your kid get his own soda.... and what does he do?? He spills it everywhere... not only making a mess on the floor, he's now nice and sticky.  Do I get mad?? Nahh.... he's having a good time regardless.

Single Parenthood is tough.  The movie was soooo soooo bad. 15 minutes into the movie... I snuck out and grabbed a gin and tonic from the lobby bar.  The bartender saw me... and gave me a little more than shot.  I tipped him well...  The movie gave me a nice place to nap.

Single Parenthood is tough.  We got home... and SW said, "Daddy, what are these bumps?" He was breaking out in hives and rashes.  Sh*t!! What did he eat?!?!? The kettle korn I brought into the theater??? What ingredients did it have??  Didn't have time to think... quickly rubbed some cortisone on his rashes to soothe the itch and raided the cupboard for benadryl.  CRAP!!!  Can't find it!!  Where does Joyce usually hide it?? Bathroom? Kitchen??  In my haste... I found one bottle that expired in 2016.  Then I ran into the kitchen... started opening doors left and right and in doing so, knocked over a glass jar and shattered it.  The shattered sound made me realize... she took the benadryl with her to camping.  And thanksfully...cuz she needs it just as much as SW does.  Now... it was time to focus, "Where's the epi-pen??? Am I ready to administer it???"  Right when I was going to redirect my target... out of the corner of my eye, I caught a pink box.  Chewable Benadryl.  Nirvana.

Single Parenthood is tough.  Three days of pedal to the metal without someone to share the load finally caught up to me... and I still had lots of work to do.  I was tired... but I needed to plow.  Ended giving up on connecting... which is fine.  We all need to rest.

But out of all this.. out of this roller coaster week.. I think I earned my star.  When we walked out of the theater tonight... and SW realized that mommy and Gah-Jeh were coming home tomorrow.  He said... "呢兩日過得好快。 過得太快."  Big smile across my face... my baby was actually enjoying this precious Father / Son time.

Mood: bumbleful