Updates from a Temporarily Single Dad, Day 2

6am: Wakey, wakey.  Cosi has a blood test this morning, and she needs to have fasted for at least 8 hours.  The only reasonable way to do that is by going as soon as the lab opens- at 7am.  I feed myself and get all sorts of edible and entertaining incentives in the car for after the blood tests.

630am: Wake Cosi up.  She immediately asks, "Is my mommy home?"  No kiddo.  Not yet.

645am: I get a text from our dear friend Agnes, who is coming to watch Trey while we're at the lab.  She is on her way and bringing her dog.

645-655am: Cosi and I try to clean all the toys off the floor.

7am: Agnes and her dog arrive, Trey is still asleep.  Cosi and I get in the car.

710am: We sign in at the lab.  We've been getting Cosi ready for this for 2 days now.  We're not sure how it's going to go, but I'm ready for the worst- screaming, thrashing, biting, yanking...But Cosi seems eager...for now, at least.

715am: Cosi charms the lab technician with her questions and commentary.  When we're given an empty jar for a urine sample, Cosi asks, "Is this for an experiment?"  Glad I didn't make her use the potty before we left.

7:20am: Urine sample complete, head over to the blood-drawing room.  Cosi needs a lot of tests to help determine how we can best help her development.  They need so much blood, we're supposed to have two appointments.

7:40am: Cosi was a champ, didn't even complain or cry.  She was fascinated the whole time and even asked if she could hold one of the vials ("uh...no").  The technician (phlebotomist?) offered her stickers.  She said she'd rather have some of those nice purple rubber gloves.  She got two pair of gloves and a LOT of stickers.  And the bonus is, they got all the blood in one appointment, no need to come back on Monday!

8am: We arrive home, Trey is still asleep, Cosi gets to play with Agnes's dog.

815am: Agnes leaves, I reluctantly wake Trey up.   I don't like being outnumbered, but if I don't wake him, he'll sleep till 930am and then not fall asleep again until super late.  And I have work to do tonight!

815-1000am: Breakfast, getting dressed, running around the house using our imaginations

1000-1030am: We go to Lowe's so I can get some drywall anchors to fix the baby gate at our kitchen door.  Trey tears down baby gates, and he's quite dangerous in a kitchen.  While in Lowe's, I notice I'm not the only dad there with kids in tow.  I can picture the conversations at home, "Sure, honey, you can go to Lowe's on your day off...as long as you take the kids with you."

1030-1115am: Having done very well at Lowe's, the kids are rewarded with a trip to the pet store.  The pet store, it turns out, usually doesn't have dogs and cats.  But it's a special weekend promoting cat adoption, so we gets to pet some cats.  Hooray for us.  So sorry for the cats.

1130am-1230pm: Home again, home again, jiggedy-jig.  Lunch is PBJ with a side of sweet potato fries for my picky boy and carrots and hummus for my herbivore girl.

1230-230pm: Kids play inside and outside the house.  Adventures ensue, some involving dirt.  Cosi catches a slug in her bedroom, happy screams ensue.  Around 130pm I am flat on the couch.  The kids continue to play, trying to involve me, but I'm trying to get a cat nap. 

230-250pm- I must have actually dozed off- time to get Cosi to dance practice for the church's Christmas program.

3-4pm- Cosi dances, Trey and I wander around the parking lot, re-enacting Little Einsteins adventures.  I pre-order a pizza for dinner.

430pm- Practice went late, but we get the pizza and head home.  If you were in Oviedo around that time, the scream you heard echoing throughout town was me, when Trey fell asleep in the back seat.  If he naps, especially this late in the afternoon, he'll be up until midnight.

445pm- The kids are huuuungry.  Me too.  Trey is groggy until he sees the breadsticks.  The kids eat and watch Curious George while I blog yesterday's adventures.

530pm- A friend comes over for Greek tutoring.  We talk for an hour, then study.  Good conversation- thank you kids for being well-behaved and playing together.

730pm- My friend leaves.  The kids have built a 2-foot tall lego tower in the dining room.  They put a shiny bracelet on the top.  Cosi gets her camera and photographs Trey standing next to it.  Trey tells Cosi, "I'm so proud of you Cosi, you did a good job."  I ask what they built, and they tell me it's our Christmas tree.  Cutest moment ever.

830pm- Kids are fed again, dressed, and ready for bed.

9pm- We all snuggle into bed, the kids fall asleep pretty easily.  Trey's 15 minute nap makes him a little reluctant to sleep, but getting to lie down next to Cosi is very motivating for him.

10pm- I wake back up and start working, getting music and slides ready for church tomorrow.  No time to work on any exams, though.  I'm done at 1am and finally head to bed.

I'm developing a strong appreciation and sympathy for single parents.  How do they do this every day?  This strikes me as one area where a church could develop a great ministry- reaching out to single moms who need to balance work and family and who have no time to themselves.

Tomorrow- church.  And maybe we'll go to the YMCA so I can put the kids in child care while I work on a take-home final exam...