Aruba, Jamaica, ooh I wanna take ya
My parents are in Aruba on a 10 day paradisiacal vacay, where it’s currently sunny & 85. Houston is currently 60 and cloudy, but I, too, am on vacation. Tropical drinks aren’t flowing and I certainly am not in a bathing suit (#27weekspreg), but nonetheless, I am on vacay. What is this glorious escape, you ask? A little piece of heaven better known as Mother’s. Day. Out. I recently talked about some of the worst words to hear as a parent. Well, my friends, Mother’s Day Out are three of the best.
Just recently, as in a month ago, I experienced the amazingness of having both of my children in Mother's Day Out. My kids, age 3 and 21 months, for 2 glorious days a week, are out of my house & out of my *mostly* clean hair. I float in a euphoric cloud from 9 to 3 and don't come down until pick up. With baby #3 coming in May, this is limited edition freedom & I am eating it UP. After dropping them both off for the first time, I drove to Starbucks & was about to enter the drive thru line when I had this insane revelation - I could go inside if I wanted to. I… could go... INSIDE!!!!!! Think the part in Tommyboy right at the end when his factory worker realizes he sold half a million brake pads: "Tommy just sold half a million brake pads. Tommy just sold HALF... A MILLION... BRAKE PADS!!!!" Yeah, just like that. I still chose the drive thru that day cuz the line was short, but STILL. I had options!!
My oldest started MDO when she was 2 and I had a 4 month old at home. #gamechanger. She got ravaged by mosquitoes, face-planted after tripping on a tree stump, and got bit. Bit! By one of her “new friends.” All in her first week! As for the tree stump, her teacher told me every kid trips on it. Um, why is it still there? Is this like a toddler initiation rite? Doesn't matter, Mother’s Day Out is worth it. Bumps and bruises? Worth it. Loss of disposable income? Worth it. Onslaught of communicable diseases? STILL WORTH IT.
Cass, and by extension the baby, were sick solid for the first 8 months after she started school. Talk about frequent fliers at the doctor’s office. I still don’t know why her pediatrician wouldn’t just give me her cell. It would’ve kept me from making tons of appointments. I mean, MyChart is great and convenient but if I could just text you later, that would be easier. I swear I’ll only call if I’m REALLY concerned.
Look how happy she is!
Another happy camper!
If your pediatrician shuts down your request for her personal information, (lame), this is a great time to utilize friends or family who are also in the medical field. My doctor friends love when I ask questions and/or send pictures of my kids’ poop or rashes. Ophthalmologist? Radiation oncologist? Who cares? They went to med school! They’ll know what to do! You get answers, and they keep their skills sharp. #winwin
So yes, the initial school sickness totally blows, but being alone totally does not. This brings me to things I’ve done with my alone time:
I have sat in solitary silence.
I have run a million errands in 45 minutes.
I have used my brain to think uninterrupted thoughts.
I have wandered aimlessly through Nordstrom Rack.
I have spoken in complete sentences with another adult. (in Nordstrom Rack)
I have eaten lunch at the temperature it was designed to be eaten at.
I have consumed candy/cookies/treats out in the open instead of crouching tiger/hidden dragon style.
And perhaps most importantly -
I have pooped without one kid on my lap and one on the edge of the tub in front of me saying, “I’ll wait for you right here, Mommy!” #awesomethanks
But Jessica, I miss my baby when she’s away from me! Yeah, yeah, yeah, sure, sure, sure. Although I talk a big game, even I’ve debated: Is three days a week too much time (no), is my 18th month old big enough to start school (yes), am I ready to send them, I should pray about it ("Don’t pray, just do it!" said my friend in my church small group) #shegetsit
One word of caution - don’t get overconfident. Having your kid in school 3 days a week will start to give you the feeling that you can do anything. That you are totally slaying this parenting gig. If you let this hubris take control, you’ll have a completely insane moment when you think, hmmm, maybe I should drop her days down to 2X/week! You’ll be like, “Aw, I’m missing my 2 year old, the baby is being a dream, plus it’ll save me a few bones, so WTH?”
WTH, INDEED. Be prepared for the PTSD that follows while you acclimate to your new normal. Of course, there is strategery in dropping days down when you are preparing to put multiple kids in – both my kids have the same T/Th schedule now – just know there will be initial fallout while you adjust.
A final note - waitlists can be ridiculous. Baby boy’s still in utero but you better believe he’s already on one! If you fail to plan, you’ll plan to fail, and trust me, you don’t want to suffer those consequences. Sign 'em up early and when you get a spot, you TAKE THE SPOT! Don’t question it! This is God giving you a gift. Say thank you and run! God knows you love your children (He gave you those beautiful maniacs), and He knows you need a break from them. He rested on the seventh day - so should you!
By the way, my parents just called and said their flight was “delayed” so they “had to” spend another night in Aruba! See? They’re fine being away from their children and you will be, too. So whether your “days off” consist of dreaming on the beach, or dreaming in your living room, revel in the gift of Mother's Day Out & enjoy that vacay.
Mommy loves you!
