Wednesday, February 26, 2014

this stage

So, the New Year is off to a cracking start.

In between recovering from the last month of the last year (moving out of our old home, moving in to our new home, friends visiting, my father-in-law's visit, my cousin's visit, my parents' visit, Christmas celebrations, celebrating the New Year in Kelowna), there was the week I battled strep throat, and passed it on to the wife. That same week, my daughter started pre-school and the wife interviewed for a new job. The following week, my wife got the job she interviewed for, at which point, our family was plunged into an entirely new schedule, and we all suffered through the cold the girl brought back from her first week of pre-school. Shortly after recovery, we spent some time with friends, registered the boy for kindergarten, and then my cousin came for another visit.

Still with me?

We are at the tail end of second month of the year and like most families, (after overcoming yet another cold virus cycle - that makes 3 sick cycles this year so far - if you're keeping up) the spectacle production of our days feature 2 pick-ups, 2 drop-offs, 2 full-time jobs, not to mention the very serious and laughable work of parenting - which includes but is not limited to: 3 meals, 2 snack intermissions, some sort of educational or creative or active adventure (preferably outdoor), television breaks, hugs, kisses, toddler tantrums, mommy tantrums, tickle fights, actual fights, all the clean up along the way,  and then (finally) the dancing bedtime finale that ends with a final pirouette and spirit fingers when toddler eyelids drop like curtains. 

Then of course, post-production activities ensue: strike whatever the living room and kitchen ended up looking like after the toddler frat party. Pre-set for for the opening breakfast number the following morning. Discuss parenting production notes with the wife. Knit-frog-knit-surrender-to-sleep.

Everyday is a comedy of errors, I tell you. Every day is full. Every day is an opportunity to restart, redo, reflect, reconnect, and get better at the craft. 

I have vowed that every day there will be a glass of wine.




I turned 38 yesterday.

I spent 9 hours of my birthday with the wife, away from our daily performance as co-parents and worker-bees. We went to the ocean and amused ourselves with the triptych of water, sand, and snow. We visited with a friend. We ate Cambodian food (best chicken wings in the city, I think). We did a teensy bit of shopping. 

While I enjoyed every second of it, wished for more time even in the moment, I missed my forever birthday gifts and fellow cast-members all together, centre stage.

This boy has been wrapping presents for me for weeks now, in anticipation of my birthday.  Each gorgeous bundle is a meticulous wonder of tape, ribbon, and paper. Each wrapped token: a toy car, a single wooden block, a box of tea from the cupboard, his love, his intention to delight, all of his generosity, every ounce of his creativity. 


This sweet little girl that hugged me happy birthday and tells me she loves me everyday. She sings to her own tune with her own lyrics.  She, who loves to sit and be still, read to. She, who lets me hold her hand any time I want. She is everyday, her own gift. 



This wife who works so hard to give me everything I want, to make all of us happy. Even when making me happy includes making me another throw pillow (because I really believe that there can never be enough, ever). Not only is she a true partner in every respect and I basically think she is the most adorable and best person on the planet, she bought me knitting needles for my birthday. 



Today I am back to my regularly scheduled performance as myself at the job-that-pays, at home, and at heart. 

I have been focusing on working hard for the job-that-pays, tempering the temper, laughing often, loving up on my family, mixing wine with chocolate (after actual working hours), then (hopefully) knitting.

How have you been?  

5 comments:

  1. Happy birthday! Love that beach photo :) What's the name of the Cambodian restaurant, I'd like to check it out!

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    1. thank you for the birthday greeting! the restaurant is called pnom pheh which is on georgia close to keefer, i think? really good food and worth the table wait!

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  2. Good to see you posting again -- as a backstory, I "met" you during luvinthemommyhood's KAL last year (I think you ran out of yarn) and have been following your blog since then.

    Happy belated! It sounds like you had a wonderful day. Your post is a reflection of my daily life (and many others, I know). Despite having a co-parent, working full-time with two kids is serious, back-breaking business. Especially during cold/flu season. Just to share my week with you, I've been working from home all week (to the best of my ability) after having my 3-year-old home Mon/Tues with the flu and then home with my first grader Wed/Thurs with a stomach virus. Oh, and the husband is in Texas on a business trip. There's vomit on the carpet that I haven't been able to properly clean yet. A towel covers it ("protecting" the preschooler from it -- ha!) to remind me where to clean...later. Like, on the weekend. I haven't showered since the weekend. Chin up, this too shall pass. Keep finding the funny. That's all we can do. :)

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    1. Oh so very cool Marta! Thanks for the greeting and thanks for stopping by. I'm happy to hang with you here for a split second if only to help you ignore that vomit a few more minutes before the inevitable cleanup which is just as epic as all the activities in between. You're helping me ignore the mess behind me now! It really is all about finding the funny. I hope your kids are feeling better today - and that husband gets back soon so you can have that shower.

      And hooray! The weekend is nigh! I'm looking forward to 12 loads of laundry! I hope you have a bit more fun on your plate than I. :)

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