Day 74: State of the Code Yellow Family Members

First of all, huge THANK YOU to Jules at Everyday Design for my spanky new blog look. Do you love it?

Second, I don’t have a picture of the paper chain because Henry dropped my camera in a tidal pool and it has not yet recovered from the sand and water shock.

Just so you know, the camera was in a snapped pocket of my purse that was in the bottom of the diaper bag, I hadn’t even had it out where he could know I had it with us on the beach, and he found it and carried it away in less than two minutes while I had my back turned playing with Calvin. He has a sixth sense for knowing where techno-thingamajigs are, and an amazing capability for procuring them when my back is turned. It is unreal.

In defense of my non-obliviousnes, I did do a very good slow-motion run across the sand – “Heeeeeeeennnnnnnrrrrrryyyyyyyyy!!!!! Nooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!” But he made it to the puddle before I made it to him. And it frustrates me beyond measure, so I won’t talk about it anymore.

But about the paper chain, it’s down to one swag across the doorway and a few links hanging down the left side. Very impressive. Take my word for it.

For new readers, my husband is out of the country since June, until September. So, on this "Day 74 Without Dad," how do things look?

Calvin is alternately super cuddly and super screamy. And really sentimental about doing things with Dad, sending things to Dad, and saving things (like PBJ sandwiches) for when Dad gets home. I lose my patience the most with him, and I know he is probably the one that needs me to keep it together and offer security the most right now. So we’ll work on that.

Henry is talking so much and has actually changed the most of all of us over the summer. (Sorry, Husband – my “svelte babe” goal hasn’t panned out the way I would have liked.) I think Henry has gotten taller, and he is definitely more little-boyish than little-toddlerish. I think Dad will be most surprised by Henry when he gets back.

I, the Mom, am doing surprisingly well. (Except the patience thing, but that’s an issue whether Dad is out of the country or not.) Frankly, I miss the companionship, conversation, and really good kissing more than I miss sharing the childcare and other home responsibilities. I went into this thinking that as time wore on, I would have a more and more difficult time keeping afloat, physically and emotionally. But it’s not so bad anymore, we've ahd a lot of diversions, and a month doesn’t seem like that long before he will be home again. Maybe that’s why I’m doing OK – there’s light at the end of the tunnel.

He will correct me if I am wrong, but I think the Dad is having the hardest time at the moment. I mean, no home-cooked meals, no bedtime stories, no toddler conversation, no beach vacation, and no one around who knows his wife or kids or feels the same way about them as he does. (At least we here at home can share the missing feeling with other people who know and love him.) Only business of the utmost stressful importance all the time, hecka overtime hours, and hot weather. Not to mention that fact that neither of us are good phone talkers. All of it has begun to take its toll. Not that he’s a baby whiner about it or anything, I can just tell. And I have to say, it’s kinda nice to be missed. So maybe he shouldn’t correct me if I’m wrong.

At any rate, the countdown to his homecoming is about to begin, and we’ve done it! The summer stretched out before us and looked so daunting and almost interminable, but as I hear about kids going back to school, and the sunsets start coming a tiny bit earlier, I realize the dog days of our summer apart are coming to a close, and our family will be on the same side of the ocean again before we know it.

I can’t wait!