Last night I had a mini Mummy breakdown. The combination of
being 32 weeks pregnant, working full time, and Mr Hank suddenly not sleeping
properly all finally got to me.
To make matters worse, this week Mr Mummerina works
afternoon shift, which means a) we don’t see each other and b) I have to do the
evening parent shift solo.
This is how our evenings have been this week…
I finish work at 4pm, and usually take advantage of the fact
that Hank is still in day care and stop off to buy some groceries, or run a
quick errand or two.
I get to day care around 5pm and am greeted by a cheeky, but
tired looking boy.
Hank’s carers tell me he hasn’t slept for more than an hour
all day, but that he has had a great day. Awesome.
Leaving day care usually results in a minimum or 3 tired
toddler tantrums (otherwise known as TTT’s). One when we put away whatever toy
he was playing when I arrive, one when we say good bye to his carers and
friends and try to leave, and one when I insist he sit, not stand, in his car
seat. Mean Mummy, I know!!
We get home and attempt to avoid another TTT whilst we
unload the car, check the mail and walk inside.
I try to find the quickest (yet still remotely healthy)
thing I can for Hank to eat, and put him in his walker or high chair to eat his
dinner. I use this time to run his bath, unpack our things, or begin to prepare
my dinner… until we are hit with another TTT
A combination of Hank screaming and trying to eat results in
a guaranteed choke ‘n’ spew. A mess which I, somewhat shamefully, let the dog
in to clean up while we retreat to the bathroom.
We have a rare window of happiness in the bath, providing I
don’t try to even contemplate doing anything other than playing peek-a-boo with
the face washer.
I get Hank out of the bath and attempt to dry and dress him
ready for bed. This, obviously, results in another TTT. It soon becomes a race
of how quickly I can put him in his sleeping bag, make his bottle and put him
in bed.
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| How could this sweet little face cause a Mummy-Meltdown? |
The rest of the night does not consist of much more than me
sitting on the couch, eating cup of soup and toast for dinner, and telling myself
I really should be nicer to my husband considering he did a general tidy up
before he left for work that day.
The last thought obviously didn’t sink in well, because as
soon as Mr Mummerina called me whilst he was on a break at work, I was in tears
asking him ‘what we are doing wrong?’, ‘why is Hank so sooky with me?’ and
‘surely other kids his age don’t act like this’. Poor guy probably wished he
never went on his dinner break!
I sent a long winded message to a friend on Facebook who has
4 boys (all of whom are very active boys) and she assured me that, although
Hank is a true “boys boy”, he is not unlike her boys were at his age. She told
me her house is always a mess, her boys are always loud, and at least one of
them will always be covered in a bruise, cut or graze from rough play
I felt a thousand times better; having been reassured from
an experienced Mum that there isn’t anything wrong with Hank, or how we are
parenting him… he is just a typical toddler. A very active, little boy toddler
at that.
I had a nice, hot and peaceful shower before retiring to bed
for the night (well, until 11.30pm when hubby got home and Hank woke up and my
heartburn kicked in!!!)
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