Miracles never cease!

Youngest girl comes up to me tonight and says "mommy, you look tired so do you mind if I brush my teeth, go to the toilet and go to bed"?

Conundrum much?  I was so proud of her I almost wanted her to stay up as a reward for wanting to put herself to sleep (I'm such a hypocrite).

My thoughts were, "hey, want to watch a movie, sleep in my bed, lollies, I'm so proud of you"!

Needless to say she is in bed and asleep and if this is going to be the way it works from now on, bring on the trips (tongue in cheek people) but seriously it's as if these little people have an intuitive sense when they need to straighten up and fly right (hmm, Robbie Williams song comes to mind) and they know that Mommy is tired and doing the best she can.

I'm so proud of them today I want to pour myself a glass or two of wine for all the good parenting I have done (hee-hee).

TTFN

I have NO IDEA what day I'm up too!

So I saw this cartoon and realized that it doesn't matter what "situation" we/anyone is in, it's just how we look at it.  My son asked me today "is a dollar a lot of money" and my reply was, "it's all how you look at it, isn't it, to us it might not seem like much but to those who have nothing it might mean the world".  Then he asked me how long a piece of string was (not really but I felt like that was where he was headed).

Our situation on day two of a 3 week stint of daddy being away might seem awful to us (we are a wee bit emotional tonight) but to others we are lucky to have what is considered a nuclear family and a functioning one at that.  I just got off the phone with Mr De Facto and he is counting the days (we are up to number 2) that he has been gone and I'm just trying to get through the days and not think about it thus realizing it must be hard on him too!

I wonder how many "group" get togethers  the guys have on site for expressing how they feel and sharing with other men, probably not many hence why I'm grateful to FIFO.  They organize a get together once a month for the wives and partners of FIFO's and DIDO's to catch up, have a play and just have a chat to other mothers in the same situation.  There is actually a function planned for this Sunday, see the link below.

http://www.fifofamilies.com.au/BookingRetrieve.aspx?ID=100696

Anyhow, I was keen for a glass of wine tonight and realized I had none in the house and was wondering what I could say to a friend or neighbour:

"Hi, I had to work all day, do you mind coming over for a few minutes to watch the kids so I can go pick up some wine", no mom has EVER said!!!

TTFN

Do they make a bra for front and back?????

Had to post this!

Weekends are hardest

I have a sick little girl, I'm sick and eldest boy is raring to go and it's the weekend, we are missing daddy!

Youngest one asked me today if Daddy has been gone for a year, she has no concept of time so that was an arrow to the heart.  Eldest one asked,  nonchalantly, when is daddy getting home to which I answered, next week!  His response, NONE (which to me was a bit of a worry).

So, trying to find the humour in life at the moment (please don't get me wrong, I AM NOT COMPLAINING), with regards to daily living but can't seem to find any!

I did let the kids sleep in my bed last night, hey, it was Friday, thought it would be a nice treat, NOT!  Even my eldest complained about feet in his face from the youngest and how bad he slept, if only he knew what I endured throughout the night, needless to say, I'm going to bed shortly and they are in their own beds tonight!!!!!

I now realize that writing each day in my blog is probably not possible so I will do the best I can but I'm finding more and more that with each day DF1 is away I am finding that 24 hours does not seem long enough in a day to accomplish everything I need to (including sleep).

I need to go because my youngest is currently "not comfy" and her pillows need to be "fluffed" and my eldest is groaning because his sister is complaining, go figure.

TTFN

p.s., this was me last night with a "5" year old!!!!!

I'm Back - Day 17

Wow, you know that saying "what a difference a day makes"?  What a difference a weekend away makes, it was soooper!  Knowing that DF1 was leaving at the beginning of the week (he actually left today for two weeks), we cherished every moment, each other and the time we had and we didn't fight or argue once, seriously, I'm not lying!!

I found myself more patient with the kids and him and actually myself, more patient with myself, that was new to me!  I am normally so hard on myself but I can't afford to be in this new lifestyle because it gets you no where.

Ok, here goes some honesty, it's his first day away and guess what the kids are having for dinner?  Fish Fingers and Meat Pies, home made of course, as if!  I find the first day he is away my laziest, kinda like I'm playing hookie or something or being truant for motherhood!  I don't make our bed, well, actually, that's normal, I rarely make it.  I sometimes buy tuck-shop for the kids so I can have that extra few minutes of self indulgence in the morning and I don't walk to school, I take the car, yes, we can walk there in 15 minutes but I have the car and I'm going to use it (we only have one car and he needs it for work).

This is a longer stint of him being away, we are working up to the 19 days (this one is only 12) but you know, I think we are going to be fine, mind you, I did get a disturbing questions from oldest boy child this morning.

See, he is aware that families are all different, no two are exactly the same hence the question, "Mummy, who gets to see their daddy more, ***** or us"?  He is referring to someone who sees their daddy on a fortnightly basis because their parents have separated and realized that this could possibly be more then he sees his Daddy and his Mummy and Daddy are still together"!  It's little things like this that pop up that tear at my heart strings and I'm sure there will be many more and hopefully I will be able to comfort him and deal with it, fingers, arms, legs and toes all crossed.

What I wish it looked like

What it actually looks like when he calls

TTFN

p.s., not really cranky, just liked the picture, check with me in a week though and it could be appropriate.

Day 11

I really can't think of anything to say today because I'm not in the best head space.  This past week has not been all "peachy keen" like it should be when DF1 is home, quite the opposite in fact!  I have been feeling overwhelming jealousy, anxiety and "wo-is-me" syndrome and quite frankly, I hate it!  As someone said to me the other day "Get off the cross, we need the wood"!

Communication is at an all time low, and the kids, especially over sensitive BC1 is picking up on the tension I am feeling, I swear I think he has a mental connection to me and he acts out how I'm feeling on a regular basis (kinda freaky).

To be brutally honest, I don't really feel up to writing tonight and I am going to take Day 12 and 13 off because we will be away so I will be back (hopefully in a much better head space) on Day 14 on the eve of departure for DF1 and maybe have some lovely stories to tell you of the weekend away.

I am really feeling my "humanness" tonight and not my normal "I am a super mom and I can do anything" feeling.  I am yet a mere mortal mom who feels flat and icky and grumpy and no one but me can snap myself out of it!  If I didn't know better, I would say I am flirting with anxiety or possibly even the onset of depression but that can't happen because, I have to be strong and "happy" and all together for the sake of my kids when DF1 is away.  I am not going to go into panic mode yet but rather a visit to my doctor to chat about this and make sure I am fully prepared and aware of the signs should they become apparent, that I'm not coping!

On a lighter note, I know this too shall pass (just like a bad curry I suppose) and I just have to grin and bear it (mental image not working for me now) so watch this space and I will let you know how I go (oh, so sorry, pardon the pun).

TTFN

Here's a post for anyone who has made the same lifestyle choice

This is a site that actually "helps" those in the FIFO and DIDO life, my blog is just about me and my family and mostly for my benefit but for those interested in really learning what it's really like and needing to know more, this is a terrific site full of wonderful information.

http://www.fifofamilies.com.au/

TTFN