For the past four Tuesdays I have dropped Sophie off at the in-laws to play for a couple of hours. Anyone who knows me well (or knows someone who knows me well) will understand that this is a big deal. Until recently it would have been a big deal to leave Sophie anywhere without me for a couple of hours. But it was pretty much unthinkable to leave her at the in-laws. (I'm not going to even go into why, because I'm assuming you all know the complex history there, but for those few who don't, I'll just clarify that it doesn't have anything to do with their ability to take care of kids). About a month ago my mother-in-law asked me (for the umpteenth time since Sophie was born) if I would like to leave her there once a week. She must have caught me on one of the many nights I was going insane with single parenting syndrome, because I actually considered it. The first time she asked my immediate response (in my head) was "hell to the no." This time I decided that Sophie was old enough to communicate her needs and if she was having a terrible time, she would ask to call me herself and I would come get her. So I agreed to bring her over. I decided that if she wasn't warming up, I'd just stay with her for a respectable amount of time, and then we'd both leave. Also, Shimmy was working from home that day, so I knew if Sophie needed someone to come get her and I was in the middle of errands, he would go. To my surprise and delight she had a great time. That's all the convincing I needed- I have dropped her off every Tuesday morning since then.
I had grown so accustomed to running my errands with her, that I had forgotten how much faster I used to be able to do things when I was by myself. With Sophie, two hours gives us time to go the grocery store, go home, and put away the groceries. Two hours without Sophie gives me time to go to the grocery store, dry cleaner, jeweler, butcher, another store, and back home to put it all away before picking her up.
Today I used my time to come back home and eat pancakes for breakfast (I had almost forgotten what breakfast was. What? It's not scarfing down a granola bar in the car?), then paint the mantel and brackets I bought to hang over the fireplace. Yes, friends, I have been busy. Not only have I taken on this mantel project (which now just awaits Shimmy's help in hanging it), I have also finished and hung my belly cast and finished the Israel scrapbook. Not to mention the continuation of the nesting saga. The office is now empty except for the desk, which needs to be dismantled and hauled to the curb. The brown room (new office?) looks fabulous. As soon as that shed arrives we'll be working on the laundry room. And as soon as Sophie's new bed arrives we'll set up her new room! Yay for productivity! Here are some pics of my recent accomplishments:
Yesterday's rainbow (technically not my accomplishment):
My belly cast finished (decoupage and polyurethane):
The painted mantel and brackets:
The Israel scrapbook- opened to a random page:
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