When Daddy’s away Allison knows the routine… Hotdogs on a stick followed by “movie night”. For movie night we get on our PJ’s, make some popcorn, and all snuggle up in the big share chair. Tonight’s movie was Finding Nemo – an Allison favorite. We watched half of it and will probably watch the other half tomorrow night!
The routine is familiar to me, too… Since Allison was born I have always dreaded having Jim gone in the evening – even for an evening meeting. I tried not to show my dread because, before having kids, I thought mom’s who couldn’t handle the kids when their husbands were out-of-town were weak. Little did I know how much a stay-at-home-mom relies on that adult interaction and the little extra help you get when Daddy comes home at night! I can breathe a sigh of relief when Daddy comes home because I don’t have to be 100%. I have a back-up. A buddy. A relief pitcher.
But lately, Jim has been gone on business trips or at evening meetings more and more. And I am proud (and a little surprised) to find that I can handle it. I don’t mind having a hotdogs and movie night with the kids. I am not as exhausted by the end of the day as I used to be. I credit this to an improvement in the Postpartum Depression. But whatever the reason is, it’s empowering. And that feels good!