Denis did me a huge favor this afternoon and went to help set up for the wool festival the shop is participating in this weekend. So I had the kids by myself all day and all evening, and since Denis normally deals with dinner and does most of the bedtime routine, this is a big deal. (Yes, I know, I count my blessings over this!)
I thought I was doing a decent job: Anna only screamed for half the time I spent getting dinner on the table, and I managed to nurse her while eating one-handed, then even got “dessert” (sliced apples) for Carrie and cleaned the kitchen while she finished up eating.
Then I thought, well, it’s been a few days since either girl had a bath, and the weekend’s going to be super busy, and we have the nifty mesh baby seat that goes right in the tub, so I can give them a bath together, they’ll both wind down and sleep really well… Big. Mistake.
After getting baby oil everywhere (I was trying to comb out some of Anna’s cradle cap) and – get this – dropping the phone in the tub when Denis called to say goodnight, Carrie helpfully tried to rinse the shampoo out of Anna’s hair by dumping a bucket of water on her head. The baby started screaming, Carrie started screaming because the baby was screaming, and I wanted to start screaming. It all went downhill from there.
Although, I suppose, since Carrie is in bed (theoretically – she’s been staying up until 10:30 or 11 reading lately) and Anna screamed herself to sleep after I got her in pajamas, I should count myself successful, right? The kids are fed, clean and asleep, the dogs have been fed and taken out, the kitchen is cleaner than it was when I started (I can’t quite truthfully say it’s “clean”) and I have a few free minutes to actually type two-handed!