Look at them ! They are terrifying - they even made my escape harder by coming to sleep in my bed every night. Sure they may look all cute and cuddly !!! But that's not cute and cuddly people, don't be fooled by those Innocent looking faces, that is them scheming and plotting ways on how to torture me and try and turn me into a crazy person.
Torture techniques included things like
"I'm hungry"
"No I don't want that"
"I'm full" followed 10 minutes later by "I'm Hungry"
"I don't want to go to school"
"I don't want to make my bed"
"I'm watching this show - I'll do it after"
"He hit me"
"She hit me"
"She wont share"
"Its my turn"
other techniques included - lets get everything out just after dad has put it away. That was a technique used alot by the smallest one.
Lets see if we can get more water out of the bath than we can keep in the bath. Again the smallest one was very good at the method of torture.
The old get up out of bed a 100 times because I'm thirsty, got to go to the toilet, i didn't get a cuddle from Luke, scratch my back was another method of torture used by these terrorists.
But their most lethal technique was the fighting amongst themselves just to see who could torture me next.
That was the one that nearly pushed me over the edge and caused me to crumble - but ive held on. And right now I feel like Steve McQueen in the great escape.
Well I did it - Ive kept alive 2 rabbits, 2 cats, 2 fish, 2 Hot dogs 2 Banana Fritters and 2 Scoops of chips.
oh wait and 2 kids. So I would to say that is success all essence of the word really. Ive probably forgotten something or didn't do something -but as any good father knows - main job is keep the kids alive. Anything beyond that is an absolute bonus.
I have to say I now have huge admiration and respect for single working parents. Because it is full on, especially with multiple kids. But to do it everyday on your own is well I don't have the words to express it to be honest. From the moment you wake up to the end of the day is just chaos even with the best made plans.
I've only done it for 2 1/2 weeks and even though I have handled it all pretty well - I'm still shattered at the end of each day - so for someone to do it for 365 days a year that is just epic. I think there was only 2 or 3 nights where I got to sit down before 9pm at night. (one of the things I was actually looking forward to most was having control of the remote and watching plenty of sport - i hardly watched tv at all - I was pretty much ready for bed by the time I finished doing everything so could be bothered watching tv) And even though I prepared everything for the next day the night before so that I could maybe take the mornings abit slower - no chance really - cause my kids are not morning kids - so even that was chaos. In hind sight I wish I had taken at least 2 days off per week instead of one. Though I have to admit I think I have been way more productive in my payed employment working 9-3 4 days a week than I am in working 8-5 5 days a week. If only I could get my boss to pay me the same for the shorter hours as he does for the longer hours.
The more I have gone through this experience the more I think that parenting is not a single person job and I don't think its a 2 person job. It is definitely a family/community effort that needs to take place because without help and support it really is a tough job. I want to say a big thanks to my Mum and David - who helped me out when I really needed them - especially when I was sick on the 1st weekend and then again on the last weekend when Jaimee got sick and we had to rush up to ED. And having Luke every day when I had work. I thought I would have a real battle dropping Luke off - thinking he would be real clingy to me - but I'm no match for Granma - I could have easily just pulled up at the end of the driveway and opened the car door and he would have taken himself in. It was getting him to leave was the biggest problem. Mind you in saying that every time Nikki face timed us on the ipod he would keep saying "hello granma" Hello granma"
I was expecting to have some real quality time with the kids while Nikki was away but with all the busyness of being a single parent and with everything that needed to be done - I do feel like I failed abit in this area for sure. Though in saying that I have to take in account that the 1st weekend I was very sick and the weekend just gone Jaimee was very sick - so all the fun stuff I had planned for the weekends was kind of wiped out by sickness. But we have had some good moments, like Sunday afternoon playing card and board games.
Hmmm this blog is now feeling far to serious - terrible.
Mind you nothing much else has happened really to be fair -nothing of excitement anyways.
Its mainly been dealing with sickness the last few days. Have to say it was very disconcerting when my son actually asked to go to bed on Saturday night. Its actually kind of scary in a way as normally its a real battle to get him to stay in bed so when he actually took himself to bed I started to freak out.
No I'm out of ideas now - I was hoping to make my final blog a real funny one - but however it what it is.
Quote of the week though does come from Kate.
My sister was picking up her kids from our mums. And she was telling her son to come.
Kate says "listen to your mum"
Aunty says "Just like you listen to dad aye?"
Kate replies "not really, its so hard when mums away"
oooo Cheryl just for you - i baked up a storm on Saturday
did Lemon Muffins
home made muesli bars for my bike rides
choc chip and sultana biscuits
and a bran type slice
Well the extraction team has just left Hong Kong - less than 16 hours now before they get here. Providing the weather here doesn't cause any problems. !!
So the question is - would I do this all again and let Nikki go away for a few weeks. ?
Yeah I think so - of course I would probably do it all differently.
Next time I would do it without the kids !!!
Thus ends my final blog - I may or may not make an occasional guest appearance in the future - but as for now I will now I will hand the reins back to my gorgeous wife - have to say she has looked rather stunning in some of the photos she has sent through.
Anyways take care - look after yourselves - be good to each other oh and I have just realised I kept alive 3 kids so I have done better than expected well done me.
Oh no now those little terrorists have found me - well it was a good game of hide and seek while it lasted.....
You are awesome Marty! Well done, I personally would've totally crumbled under the pressure I'm sure. Parents really are amazing, & it's a 24/7 thing.
ReplyDeleteLove the quote from Kate :D