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Parenting after 35
Pesky
member
My holiday pity party
Pesky
member
This week, in addition to averaging about 5-9 calls a day for work plus actual work plus unscheduled calls as work is super busy, I have mostly been solo parenting (minus 16 hours when DH was home from Wednesday pm until Thursday am). In this time I have managed to wrap the gifts for all but one of the 5 boxes I shipped this week (MIL blissfully wrapped my sister's family's stuff before she left), ship 5 boxes, put return and regular address labels and stamps on all 100 cards, get postage for the foreign cards, mailed the first dozen cards and have another 20 to be sealed that are ready (writing notes on each one), take DD to her dance class performance and tape that, her swim lesson and a birthday party, plus bake cookies for a neighborhood cookie exchange and go to that, plus order remaining gifts, plus deal with my great-aunt (basically another grandmother) dying quite suddenly and working out the funeral arrangements with my mom (delayed until beginning of Jan. as she is being cremated and my uncle can't get away from his work) and discussing with my siblings about funeral plans and if they want me to set anything aside when they come. After grocery shopping with the kids in the morning, DH arrived today at 3 (for some reason I thought it would be later), enough for me to throw in another of the 5 loads of laundry I've done today and shower, then I got to heat up leftovers for the kids, scarf some yogurt, told DH to fend for himself and then he took off for basketball. At which point, suddenly DS poops twice and the dog throws up 3 times, bringing bathtime to an abrupt halt while I cleaned that up.
And I started to list what still has to be done (more wrapping, ENT visit for DS, work, visiting relatives, our trip and packing, haircuts for kids -- oh it goes on) and this elf is ready to resign. I already started assigning tasks to DH in "honey do" list as I just cannot do all this myself (steam clean the carpets got added to his list tonight). I've even put wrapping on his list even though I claim he wraps like a serial killer. At this point, I don't care. Did I mention it feels like a sinus infection coming on (yellow/green gunk and my sinuses are trying to escape my face a la Alien)?
I'm tired. Please just let me know when my vacation begins so I can start sleeping. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
How is your holiday rush coming along? Misery does love company...
DD -- 5YO
DS -- 3YO
This discussion has been closed.
Re: My holiday pity party
If misery loves company, I'm in the right place. My week imploded on Monday, I work in accounting, and December is usually quiet. Wrong. My group decorated the atrium for Christmas on Monday night, after a long day taking turns at the switch. Our new receptionist lasted 1 1/2 days. I'm also working on a project that includes processing paperwork for 900+ people, including chasing people down that haven't sent it in or signed it or what have you. Add all this on to my usually daily stuff. Luckily DH dealt with the dks Monday night - he's usually out.
Tuesday was more of the same, but we had a temp. And 4 of us had to go help in the mailroom because she didn't know how we did our couriers, plus one of the groups decided to ship out tons of stuff, so it looked like a bomb went off in the mailroom. Took 2 hours out of my already busy day. I rushed home, got the kids, made dinner, scrambled to clean, didn't take T to water polo (she was still recovering from a weekend tourny), but waited around for a couple to NOT show up to view our house - we're renting it out. Do 3 loads of laundry and fall asleep at the computer doing paperwork for the new house.
Wednesday, more of the same at work, scrambling like a mad woman trying to get things done. I noticed at 1:30 that I had to pee badly, and that I hadn't stopped long enough to do anything about it since I got there. I know I'm missing something about the week so far, it was just a blur. I get another call about our house, call DH to straighten up, finish work, grab the kids, rush home, meet another couple, take them through the house, get the kids fed and in bed, do more laundry, and this time pack boxes, and fall asleep on the computer at midnight, again.
Thursday, I get a call from the couple wanting to sign a lease on the house, felt relieved. Worked like a mad woman flying through paperwork. Had to leave the office partway through the day to go to the new house for the final walkthrough. Did that, came back, worked like a madwoman again, picked up the kids after work, drove around lost looking for one of the dance mom's house to pick up cookie dough from a fund raiser - took 40 minutes. Grabbed the older two from MIL's and stopped at Walmart to grab something to make for dinner. It was 7:30 when we walked through the door. Fed the kids, put them to bed, did more laundry and packing, did up the lease agreement, sent that off, actually went to bed before I fell asleep on the computer.
Oh- did I mention dh's car having to go in for work- yeah, that was convenient. $1300 worth of work, absolutely needed (truly), right before Christmas and getting the new house. The good news is that because of the make, it won't need this kind of servicing again for another 100,000 klicks.
Friday morning I get a call from the couple - they won't be taking the house, it's too much $$ for them. From me, it's a giant wtf thanks for wasting my time - but at least they called. More than a dozen times in the last two weeks we've had no shows.
Friday, there's only two of us from our team in the office, so I was literally running, and trying to get my own work done. My feet were swollen at the end of the day. Went home, got the kids settled early, did more stuff in the house. Fell asleep in my chair this time.
Saturday, more of the running around doing errands, E had dance class, came home, cleaned some more, and got ready for DH's ff Christmas party. Fun times, but we lost where everybody went for the after party. Just as well, I was super tired. Oh -- and got another no show to view the house!! I guess people lack manners??
I've been home all day today, doing laundry and packing. Trying not to freak the eff out. We move on Thursday. HOLY HECK. And I still have a lot of shizz to do. E has her Christmas concert Monday night, T's is Friday night (their school does it by grades, they have 650 between K-6). T has waterpolo MTW, has to skip her Friday game. L is supposed to be at a Christmas party for the kidney kids Tuesday night. And there is something at this point I know I'm forgetting. But wtf, I need to clone myself. DH is helping, but we're still overbooked this week. Oh, and he's gone next weekend for work. And has a job interview (inter company) this week as well, and is doing company functions this week too (meetings, etc.)
I have no Christmas shopping done (I'm usually done by Dec 10th at the latest), no cards (and those I usually have mailed by Dec 1), and no decorations up. I want this week to be done too. I'm not moving again for another 20 years.
And Pesky - my condolences, so sad that you're dealing with your great aunt passing.
Pesky, so sorry to read about your aunt passing.
I am just coming back from a business trip, and will deal with a vactioning shipping person as well as a million assignments from my trip, and then deal with my regular work. We will be moving some rooms I oversee this week, so that should be crazy. DD has diarrhea, and a horrible diaper rash as a result, so MIL is staying with her today. But I am exhausted just reading pp. Hope this week is better for all!
My Blog
Wow this made me tired just reading it!! Sorry about your G-Aunt. That stinks right before the Holidays. Hope it settles down soon.
JM
that blows! I hope it slows down soon for you.
DD -- 5YO
DS -- 3YO
Not sure if this helps you stressed out girls....
I spent nearly 8 hours on Sunday helping to sort, wrap, and bag about 800 gifts for disadvantaged, poor and foster children.
It's so easy to get wrapped up in all the hoopla... but when you think about those who wouldn't have any gifts or even a family... kinda puts this holiday craziness in perspective.
That's awesome.
DD -- 5YO
DS -- 3YO
That sound like my life, minus the death in the family (so sorry), and plus 15 hrs work (part-time job). So I hear you. I have only shopped for my kid's gifts and I did that online. I'm not sure I'm going to buy anyone else presents b/c A) we're kind of low on cash this month and
I don't have time or energy to brave the stores.
I decided I'm going to say "no" a lot and enjoy the holidays as much as I can. That should be our motto