Quick Takes #25: Home Alone edition

So this week I have been without my hubby since he was away for work. I’ve been pushing my introvert self out of the box a little bit and leaving the house! These are some of the adventures I’ve had with the girls this week.

1.

While waiting in line at the Dollar Store checkout, Ms Drama was whining loudly in the wagon because she wanted to hold the package of candy bracelets we were buying. The older woman in line behind us pointed at the happy Ms Pooky on the opposite end of the wagon and said in a slightly accented voice “she is the best one.” Not sure how to respond to that, I replied “She’s a happy one! Everything is an adventure when your 1 year old.” The older woman shook her finger at Ms Drama and said “SHE is spoiled!” Trying to make light of her criticism I replied “Oh I think it’s the age, all 2 year olds are a bit spoiled.” The old lady snorted and replied sourly “no”.

Well, OK then.

The garbage was put out carelessly by my husband before he left blown over by the wind and I had to pick up the garbage off of our front yard all by myself. Including chicken bones that were swarming with flies and wasps, which was pretty terrifying. But I just couldn’t bear the thought of someones dog eating them and getting sick.

While driving in the car, Ms Action informed me that she was no longer a girl, she was now a kitty. Ms Drama chimed in eagerly saying that she was a puppy. So I asked what the rest of us were, and it started out nicely enough. Daddy was now a tiger, and Ms Pooky was dubbed a monkey. Mommy? An elephant. Thanks kids.

At the park the girls played happily with several little boys very close in age. The one that was about the same age as Ms Action, followed her around telling her that she was “too little to do that” and “sorry you are not big enough” every time she tried to do anything. She kept replying that she was not little, because she did not wear diapers any more. He was not convinced, and continued to explain all the reasons she was to little to do anything, and how someday when he gets bigger and has a DS she will not be allowed to borrow it because she is to little. I could see her start to doubt her bigness when faced with the repeated message of littleness, and eventually she came over to me and asked if she was big. I told her that she was “big enough” and she happily ran back to continue playing, and stood up for herself every time she was labeled little by replying confidently that she was “bigger enough”. I almost died from the cuteness.

I managed to keep up relatively well with the housework, but all that extra stuff I was planning on doing while hubby was away? (Because, you know. I’d have tons of time without him around to distract me) Yeah, none of it happened. I was so wiped out at the end of the day of 18 hours of non-stop single parenting, the most I could manage was to watch something brainless on TV or poke around the blog world before I collapsed in bed. I had no idea how inspiring my hubby can be.

I wasn’t feeling the greatest after a long day in the sun, but when we went through the drive-through, I thought I should get something anyways. Driving away I was already regretting paying for the sandwich that I was only going to force myself to eat. At the very next corner was a young (college aged?) man with a sign that said “broke and hungry, please help.” I was able to hand him the still hot sandwich and after he thanked me he immediately unwrapped it and began taking huge bites out of it as he walked away. I was glad I’d bought that sandwich after all.

7.
A reader contacted me a bit ago and asked if I would be interested in some books. This week I received 2 devotional books in the mail. There was something awe-inspiring about unwrapping a package of books that have strengthened and encouraged another young mom in the past.

These books have places they fall open to on their own. The have underlined sentences and little notes scribbled in the margins.

 I was encouraged just holding them in my hands and looking at them. Thank you so much for sending them to me Wendy! I am looking forward to reading them.

 

Bonus: I’ve killed 3 bugs all by myself this week (although I was to afraid of the giant quarter sized moth in my house last night to get him, hopefully my hubby can snag the mammoth tonight), and helped Ms Pooky’s bloody nose stop bleeding. I posted on my past and nobody laughed or told me that I was silly for having any issues. And I made chocolate-chip cookies. I feel superhuman! At least I will after I sneak another one of those cookies.

Hop over to Conversion Diary and to read more Quick Takes and maybe share your own.