Father

My dad doesn't agree with my marriage.  I've written about that before, and I don't think it's likely to change in the near future.  However, one of the things I do appreciate about him is his ability to take it as fact.  Whereas V's mother can't even tiptoe near our relationship (this is a woman who whispers the word 'mosque' in case the jihadists can hear, but that's another story), my dad is much more relaxed.  It makes our conversations so much easier.  Yesterday, he and I were talking about holidays; I've always had to juggle them between my two sets of parents, and things are even more complicated now that V's parents at in the mix.  I quipped, "And I thought it was bad when I had two families!" and he laughed.  Laughed, because I was funny.  Instead of it driving him to the couch in tears.  Not that I'm referencing anyone.  Like V's mom.

Of course, holidays are still going to be complicated, but whatever.  We still have a few months.  I haven't seen my mom in a year, so that needs to be fixed.

Aches

V and I watched Katie and Sean on Saturday night, and when their parents got home just after midnight, Katie started crying upstairs.  Her mom went to get her, mentioning that she'd been fighting a fever all day.

And you didn't tell me this before I kissed her goodnight and tucked her in, why?

So, after waking up at 4:30 this morning, knowing I had a fever, and aching in every single muscle I had (I couldn't talk because moving my jaw hurt)...I finally got up at 6 and woke V up at 6:30.  She has a more mild version, we think; she's got a fever and aches too, but not dying like I was.

I went to the twins' late (some days I'm so happy their dad works from home), and ended up doing 11:30-2:30 over there.  That means I only lost an hour's wage, thankfully.

I texted Katie's mom this morning and asked if Katie had ever come down with anything; she said the fever was about 24 hours, and that she (the mom) had it yesterday.  So at least I know this should be over tomorrow.  In the meantime, I rest, read, do crossword puzzles, and catch up with my dad.  And get really annoyed with the cat.

Hot and cold

Lilly has been a terror the past week or so.  When she isn't being an angel.  There is no middle ground.  Today was a better day, at least, than yesterday and last Friday.  Having gymnastics helped, I think, because she only acts up at home (thank goodness).  And Patrick was Mr Outgoing, which he never is.  Talking to other kids in the class, lining up first to do something...I was really impressed.  He did the balance beam without me holding his hand!

After work I spent an hour and a half running errands, most of that time in the car.  Places can be too darn far apart, especially when your car doesn't have air conditioning.  We need a new car, new phones, and V needs a new laptop.  Guess I'd better go back to those 50 hour workweeks?

Heck no.  I'll find some other way to work on saving.  Right now, I'm glorying in rest, and trying to decide if this headache negates yoga tonight.

Remiss

As the title implies, I've been rather remiss at posting this weekend.  At the moment, I'm reveling in the close of the second of two full days spent with my love, at home - something we haven't had in weeks.  We've cleaned; we've shopped (lots of new books! and food!); we've babysat together; we toured a historical recreated village.  You know, the usual.

Confession: I'm drunk at the moment.  I use the term reveling in a rather literal fashion.

This week should be much easier than the last two.  For starters, I'm not spending over 45 hours in childcare.  Tomorrow is just the twins and Kali; Tuesday so far is just the twins.  And glory be, V will be home in the evening now that her summer classes are over.  It will be wonderful, though I'll have to start cooking again.

Given the aforementioned intoxication, I'm going to bid the world au revoir now.

Phone

Last week, I had to teach the T9 on my phone "lgbt."

What kind of gay am I?  Shameful, telephone!

Games

Confession time: I hate playing games with children.
I just spend close to an hour with Seth, being told that he won he won he won (despite clear evidence to the contrary), and "I'm the boy of the house so you have to listen to my rules" (which I soundly denounced), and no-that's-not-right-you're-doing-it-wrong!!!

Nothing brings out my desire to yell "I was playing this before your parents were even married!" like trying to play an organized game (memory, uno, even doing puzzles) with the three to, oh, ten crowd.

Though I should disclaimer here that I actually don't really like games in general.  But particularly not with children.

Bathroom trauma

The scene: Bug's living room, just after lunch.  Her mom is out with Andrew; she is playing in front of her dollhouse.
Me: Bug, time to go potty!
Bug: No I don't wanna!
[I pick her up and show her how she can sit backwards on the potty, which she thinks is cool.  She pees.]
Me: Yay!  Good job.  I'm going to go get a pull-up.
[I disappear to get a pull-up; she disappears back to her dollhouse.  I go find her, Dora pull-up in hand, and she stands up to reveal four little poops under her dress.]
Me: Bug...  Did you just poop on the floor?
Bug: No poop on floor.  Poop in potty.
Me: Yeah, you're going to go potty again.
[We go back and I sit her on the potty, backwards again.  She has two dollhouse dolls in her hands.  She poops again {how?!}, then drops in one of her dolls.  Thankfully the doll is totally plastic, no hair or anything.]
Me: Guess he's gone.
Bug: Noah!
Me: We have to go get a pull-up, and clean up the poop on the floor.
[She gets pull-upped, I grab wipes, and we go back to the offending spot.  I pick up the poop and make her wipe the floor clean.  She goes back to her dollhouse; I go fish out the doll from the toilet and wash it and myself eight times.]