Reason #21 – I become helpless when someone helps me
Reason #21 – I become helpless when someone helps me
Jun 11These days we live a life of undeserved luxury: cleaning, cooking and washing are all done for us, and as if this were not enough I also get help with C. I have it made! Right? Right?
But I’m soooo tiiiiired!
I’m so knackered I sometimes cannot lift an arm to wash C’s bottles, which miraculously show up washed and sterilised the next morning. I’m so short on time I can only get dressed if somebody gets C off my hands. Life is so hard, so hectic, I get impatient if C takes more than half an hour to fall asleep. It’s a wonder I find the time to mix his morning cereal and give him his vits and supplements… goodness knows what that poor boy would eat if a certain kind lady in our household didn’t make and freeze pureed vegetables for him!
It boggles the mind to think that someone as perfectly useless as me can look after a child, let alone think of having a second one*.
However, you must also consider this:
I took C to London in Easter. Alone. The flight took about 18 hours each way, with a stop in Houston. I sterilised his bottles with boiling water from airport restaurants, changed his diapers in the airplane loos, entertained him with his toys and my toiletries and the in-flight magazines. We spent almost two weeks in the UK, where I was C’s only carer for the last week (hooray hooray for our Danish babysitter on the first week!) During this time I kept C clean, dressed, fed and happy. I managed to sterilise bottles, launder clothes, pack such comprehensive diaper bags that we were never (not once!) in need for something when out and about. I even made three home-cooked dinners, though I must admit our Danish sitter kept C out of the way for those.
Bottom line, if I could keep C alive and happy through Houston customs and Heathrow check-in, I can definitely hold my own as an effective mom. This trip proves clearly that I am a perfectly capable mother who can keep a child fed, healthy and happy all by herself.
…unless, of course, there is someone around who can do it for me.
* Can you believe my nerve? I shouldn’t be allowed to ever have another – I’m doing a crap enough job with this one! I wouldn’t blame you for calling Child Services. Go on, call. They know where to find me.
Me too! My husband is deployed at the moment and everyone I know seems to think I simply cannot survive on my own with three kids (one of whom is 2 months). Well, they used to think that. I’m convinced they would have gone to the bathroom for me so I wouldn’t have to, if it were possible. I became so disgusted with my helplessness that I rudely ignored anybody wanting to help. It took a few weeks of absolute chaos for me to remember how to manage on my own again . . . and it was so worth it.
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ofthesea Reply:
June 8th, 2011 at 2:38 pm
Oh no, no! Enjoy it while it lasts! Milk it for all it’s worth!
…goodness knows I miss it now!
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brenna Reply:
June 8th, 2011 at 3:03 pm
It was getting to the point where a certain woman flat out refused to leave my house so the kids could nap, insisting that I could absolutely not function on my own. I literally felt like I had to call the cops so they would remove her from the premises. She finally left grabbing an armful of dirty clothes to wash at her place. After my telling her firmly FIVE times that under no circumstances is anyone allowed to touch my dirty laundry (except my husband). That is just weird. But I was so relieved she was leaving that I didn’t bring it up again…
I wish I could say she was just wacky but others started reorganizing my house in a way that made more sense to them so they could help me better when I needed it… I’m sure refusing to leave was just around the corner.
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A snorkel, that’s what I need. I don’t normally need to come up for air, but sometimes, a boy needs a little bit of help.
Nigel recently posted Reason 625 Why I Am a Cat Person
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It’s quite lovely, really, and has the magical quality of being both quite work friendly and also telling the world that “yes, absolutely would I be interested in drinking large quantities of alcohol and dirty dancing until dawn in the alley behind a Chinese restaurant.”
Now *that’s* a dress, I tell you.
Nigel recently posted Reason 625 Why I Am a Cat Person
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ofthesea Reply:
August 13th, 2010 at 10:24 am
I knew I just had to wait for the right occasion to take the tags off and wear the heck out of it.
Now where are those Tsingtaos?
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Nigel Reply:
August 13th, 2010 at 10:26 am
I will fetch my keys and be right over. Things could be problematic when I hit the Atlantic Ocean, but I will cross that ocean when I come to it.
Hah! I am so funny, it hurts.
Nigel recently posted Reason 625 Why I Am a Cat Person
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ofthesea Reply:
August 13th, 2010 at 10:42 am
You’re across the Atl… maybe this is not the best moment to admit I have a terrible weakness for transatlantic men, is it?
Yes, I am reading my way through your entire blog.
I am never satisfied until I have fully explored a new territory.
I shall make camp here, and press on in the morning.
Nigel recently posted Reason 625 Why I Am a Cat Person
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ofthesea Reply:
August 13th, 2010 at 9:06 am
Oh my! I think you may be my first stalker.
I feel all warm and fuzzy.
Maybe that was the wrong metaphor?
Maybe not…
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Nigel Reply:
August 13th, 2010 at 9:49 am
Definitely not the wrong one.
Now would you mind opening your curtains just a bit more please? I’m having trouble getting the camera to focus on you where you’re sitting. Damned cheap lens elements.
Nigel recently posted Reason 625 Why I Am a Cat Person
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ofthesea Reply:
August 13th, 2010 at 10:03 am
I knew it was a good idea to wear my new dress today.
JUAJAUAJAUAJAUAJAUAJAU!
Como lo he disfrutado. Maria, this is the makings of a great book. How nice to find someone so friendly with error… te lo juro… con solo esa cualidad te aumentas el karma lo suficiente para perdonarte todo el resto. :)
Love you,
Nanne
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mofthesea Reply:
June 11th, 2010 at 3:35 pm
We try, we fail, we learn… we fail better next time :D
Yo sigo tu blog atentamente, y un dia de estos vas a salir por aca!
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