Monday, August 4, 2008

If you were the individual honking at the lady pulling weeds in her garden while wearing her pajamas...

Let me just clear up a few things. See, a few weeks ago Curt started a new job. A much better job; with great benefits, excellent pay, and making annually what he did for the last company, only working 16 days a month instead of 29. The downside? It's 12 hour shifts and *gulp* he rotates between days and nights.

For the first two weeks he was in training and leaving at a respectable 6 and coming home at 4. Even the first week in Operations wasn't too rough, he had the 5am-5pm shift. Life was good.

But last night was the first 5pm-5am shift. And the preparations began Saturday night when Curt decided to stay up as late as possible to try and acclimate. Which apparently works best if you watch movies in bed, and talk to your wife about them until she very subtly puts a pillow over her head.

And now that it's for real, it's proving to be harder than I thought. To keep the house as quiet as possible I can't properly clean anything during the day. The kitchen is off of the hallway to our room and just doing the dishes makes a hella racket. The vacuum is out. I can't even really put folded clothes away, instead piling them up on the back of the couch, hoping Evan doesn't knock them down.

And there are only so many pretend "whispering" games you can play with a rambunctious toddler and a very mobile walking baby. This morning I had to serve breakfast in shifts of two, just to keep the din to a minimum. Lunch was served al fresco while we played and weeded the garden.

And not to sound mushy, but it took me forever to fall asleep alone last night; and of course, Elle decided to get up twice during the night before finally starting her day at 6am. Just when Daddy was rolling in.

This was all a little rough, but do-able. It wasn't until about 8 o'clock this morning when I realized I'd really screwed the pooch. I took Elle back to her room for her nap and was half way to my room to get dressed when I remembered that the sleeping ogre was in there. With my clothes. And my toothbrush and deodorant.

So as weird as I'm sure I looked from the road, still in my pajamas, hunched over the squash, trust me when I tell you that it was even more special up close and in person.

6 comments:

Anna said...

Caroline, I'm in the same boat (read the: so I married a vampire entry on my blog) I'm waiting for it to get better........these men...

Angie said...

OMG! I'm laughing so hard here! I had to read the blog to Ronnie while he's at the Cubs game watching the rain. You are a brave woman to attempt this.

C. Beth said...

Wow--congrats on Curt's new job but UGH for you. Could he sleep with white noise and earplugs? I bed the combo of those would block out most sounds.

Becky said...

Ugh, I don't envy you. I like Beth's suggestion of earplugs & white noise. Or is there maybe a basement room he can sleep in during the day?

Years ago, when I was in high school, I babysat for two kids whose dad was sleeping during the day in the back bedroom. I didn't even have to do any cleaning - just trying to keep the kids quiet - and wow, was that hard. You have my sympathy!

Kate and Crew said...

I hate to say it, but misery loves company... and I LOVED reading this. Yes, this has been my life since for 4.5 years now. No dishes, no laundry, no screaming, no playing, no throwing matchbox cars on the hardwood floors in the hallway right outside the bedroom... It doesn't get easier, but it is nice to hear someone else singing my song. I'm sick that way.

Kate and Crew said...

wow - I'm illiterate