Playing Mr. Mom
I scheduled a vacation day today last week. I felt it would be good to have a whole day to spend grading final exams and final papers. But then reality stepped in.
Sofie got sick. She has a mild cold, which has her feeling poorly, but hasn't diminished her energy and enthusiasm too much. Pretty much the only difference is the snot faucet attached to her face, and the extra hugs and kisses she gives--she knows she's feeling bad and wants bunches of lovin' from momma and daddy.
I did get the final exams graded, but still have the papers to do. But those probably won't be touched till tonight. You see, it's a Mr. Mom day. Anna has seized the day with my being home and has left for a lunch date with a fellow children's author. I'm solo till she gets home.
It ain't too bad. I blessed Sofie with the cross today, and a little later she pointed to the icons and made kissing sounds. So we venerated the Theotokos and Jesus. She's learning to make the sign of the cross, though it's usually either the vertical motion or the horizontal. But she's starting to put it together. She puts her fingers together just like daddy and the other people at Church. That just amazes me: that she would notice such a detail as that.
Lunch went okay, though she is now proceeding to take all my books off the shelves--for the third time this morning. And all the toys are coming out of the toy box, off the shelves and out from other places. Once these get cleaned up this will be the fourth time. But she's dressed in her purple jogging suit. She's so dang cute there ain't no way I can get angry at her.
How do mommas handle these sorts of things? I don't know if I'm a typical dad or not, but I'm looking for order and discipline. From a fourteen-month old. Yep. I'm in a fantasy world.
Today ain't too bad, but I do have to say this: There's a song on the radio with a chorus that runs:
Well
Pampers melt in a Maytag dryer
Crayons go up one drawer higher
Rewind Barney for the fifteenth time
Breakfast six, naps at nine
There's bubble gum in the baby's hair
Sweet potatoes in my lazy chair
Been crazy all day long and it's only Monday
Mr. Mom
Today, I am sympathetic to those words. But it's the final bridge out that really expresses what I feel today:
Balancin' checkbooks, juggling bills
Thought there was nothing to it
Baby, now I know how you feel
What I don't know is how you do it
The full song:
Lost my job, came home mad
Got a hug and kiss and "That's too bad"
She said I can go to work until you find another job
I thought I like the sound of that
Watch TV and take long naps
Go from a hard-working dad to being Mr. Mom
Well
Pampers melt in a Maytag dryer
Crayons go up one drawer higher
Rewind Barney for the fifteenth time
Breakfast six, naps at nine
There's bubble gum in the baby's hair
Sweet potatoes in my lazy chair
Been crazy all day long and it's only Monday
Mr. Mom
Football, soccer and ballet
Squeeze in Scouts and PTA
And there's that shopping list she left
That's seven pages long
How much smoke can one stove make
The kids won't eat my charcoal cake
It's more than any man can take
Being Mr. Mom
Well
Pampers melt in a Maytag dryer
Crayons go up one drawer higher
Rewind Barney for the sixteenth time
Breakfast six, naps at nine
There's bubble gum in the baby's hair
Sweet potatoes in my lazy chair
Been crazy all day long and it's only Monday
Mr. Mom
Before I fall in bed tonight
If the dog didn't eat the classifieds
I'm gonna look just one more time
'Cause
Pampers melt in a Maytag dryer
Crayons go up one drawer higher
Rewind Barney for the eighteenth time
Breakfast six, naps at nine
There's bubble gum in the baby's hair
Sweet potatoes in my lazy chair
Been crazy all day long
Oh been crazy all day long and it's only Monday
Mr. Mom
Balancin' checkbooks, juggling bills
Thought there was nothing to it
Baby, now I know how you feel
What I don't know is how you do it
Lonestar, "Mr. Mom" (Note: The song plays when the link opens.)
Posted by Clifton at October 12, 2004 11:27 AM | TrackBack"but I'm looking for order and discipline. From a fourteen-month old. Yep. I'm in a fantasy world."
Yep, that's about where I'm at--and mine isn't even out of the womb yet!
What a blessing to see children being formed in the faith! I was amazed to see my friend's little boy, not yet two, take communion by intinction properly. His dad carried him up to the pastor, and they both cupped their hands to receive the bread, and then little boy dipped the piece of bread in the cup perfectly and ate it (that's how we do it at my Methodist church). That's some good eye-hand coordination there!
Posted by: Jennifer at October 12, 2004 08:51 PM