Monday, November 7, 2011

Daddy Has Returned--Blessing or Curse?

 I realize I have not been blogging much since Nick left his old job, took a week off, and began his new job with much better hours. It is like I actually have a life again and am busy living it instead of writing about it. However, did I mention that my husband is now home all the time? Okay, perhaps only weekends, every other Friday, and by 6:30 during the week, but it feels like all the time. My kingdom is being disrupted.

 I missed dual parenting and having someone else around to laugh with when our kid does something ridiculous. I missed being able to make plans with other couples. I missed watching Gopher basketball, Twins baseball, and Packer football with another rabid fan (sports are just not as much fun on your own!). I have my partner and best friend back. I have Alexis's father back. I have someone to help with chores and do man-jobs around the house.*

 But. There's always a "but". I have to give up control now. I no longer make all the decisions about outings, schedules, TV watching, food, etc. There is another adult in the house who has an opinion! No one warned me that it would take me longer to adjust to a positive change like this. I was fed up with solo parenting and making all the decisions. However, being judge and jury, while exhausting, is also quite a strong feeling of power not easily relinquished. Furthermore, when the child was in bed, the house was mine. Mine to do anything I wanted. I could enjoy the quiet or listen to music loudly. I could make whatever vegetable and flaxseed dish I wanted for dinner and eat when I wanted. I could go to bed at 8:30 without so much as a sarcastic comment about how lame I was. That part was kind of nice.

 That being said, I wouldn't go back. I am enjoying having Nick home, able to watch Alexis as she is right now. Not looking at pictures and hearing stories of our adventures, but being a part of them. Living with us as a husband and father, not just as the guy who funds our house and bills. I may not have the time to blog as much about my days but that is because there is a wonderful man in the house making me laugh, occasionally making dinner, and even changing a few diapers. My husband is back and I love it.

*Nick removed the old and installed the new over-the-range microwave and lifted and cleaned our moldy bathroom flooring all in one weekend.

2 comments:

  1. My husband travels all the time for work and I used to feel the same way when it was a week when he would be home. It is nice to share the parenting responsibilities though, although losing control of the girly movies was tough.

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  2. As a mom who has spent much of the parenting gig doing it solo I can totally relate to having to relinquish control. It is completely disruptive at first!

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