Saturday, November 10, 2007

Help! I'm going to be a single mother for 5 days!


My husband is leaving on a business trip tomorrow night. He'll be gone for 5 days and 5 nights and I'm just a little concerned for my sanity with my two kids. He's been away this long once or twice before, but not since we've had two kids. The days are so long when he's away and I don't have his help with the kiddies in the evening, or his adult conversation after pretending to be Buzz Lightyear or Clifford the Big Red Dog with Joseph all day. The only plusses: Not having to make a "real" dinner because Joseph doesn't mind macaroni and cheese or pancakes, and being able to hold the remote control in the evenings so I don't watch ESPN and I do watch the Oprah re-runs. But it only takes a couple of days for me to tire of bad dinners and miss Darren so much that I leave the TV on SportsCenter while I do the dishes so it feels like he's home. I have so much respect for single mothers and army wives who always carry all the family responsibilities! Any ideas to help keep me from going crazy over the next five days? (I'll probably be bothering most of you on the phone at some point and using you as my adult conversationalists.)

10 comments:

the splendid life of us... said...

I can't imagine a husband gone with kids, I just know that with out kids that I lose my sanity, because I feel very isolated and bored and miss my husband to death! Good luck, I am sorry that I don't have much for advice!

Emily said...

Okay, so are you still alive? I have tried to call NUMEROUS times, but have been having more problems than usual with my phone.

I can't imagine being alone with 2 kids for 5 days, especially since I go crazy for 11 hours while Steve is at work. You are like wonderwoman.

Jonathan and Michelle said...

GOOD LUCK!! Call me anytime or we can always do the web cam! You need to call mom and convince her that it is necessary for her to fly out!

Ben & Diane said...

I've always found that my day is a little easier if Ben calls a few times each day he is gone. Hopefully Darren will and he can at least talk to Joseph too. I hope you put the kids to bed early so you can be extra rested for the next day. Call me anytime if you want to.

Mark and April Sullivan said...

Oh... I miss Mark so bad when he's away, I really can't imagine it with children--- AH!! Well, you can always blog and blogsurf to pass the time.

The Three Musketeers and their Mommy said...

So sorry! That is so hard! It really is so hard to do all the work and be all alone with two kids. The nights that Kurt works really late are hard. It is so much more challenging to get my kids in bed. Good luck to you! I don't have much advice but just to try to do things that you normally wouldn't do with Darren there (like watching the Oprah show and what not). Hopefully the time will pass fast!

Jill said...

Thanks for your support, everyone. It is kinda nice to have kids to keep me company. I'd get very lonely without them if it was just me for this long. I'll try to focus on that instead of them driving me crazy. :)

Anonymous said...

Hi Jill, My advice is to remind Joseph that you need extra help while Daddy is gone so he will be on his best behavior for you.

It helps to record the funny/cute things your kiddos do so that you can appreciate something about the long days and also so Darren can hear what he has missed.

And yes, it is nice to get some things done just for yourself after putting the kiddos to bed early whether it be a movie, scrapbooking or even a great dessert.

Getting out of the house everyday helps too. ~Kristine

Anonymous said...

Awww! How are you surviving! I totally understand! Tyler has had to be gone for a couple of 6 WEEK trips since we've had 2 kids...and it's awful! And breakfast for dinner is only fun for like the first week... So I feel for you. I hope you survive.

Jennie Minor said...

JILL! I had to catch up on your blog! You guys are so cute! Your boys are getting so big! love you!