Saturday, September 29, 2007

mama's home

Friday was a burner of a day at work. I ran my butt off from 6:45 am on and as the clock inched ever slowly toward 7 pm, I could finally see the end in sight. Twenty minutes before shift change I had one newly admitted patient being prepped for immediate surgery and one being readied to ship out to another hospital (for immediate surgery). As I ran around like a maniac starting IVs and drawing labs and calling report and taking histories and doing a boatload of charting and helping paramedics load patients into ambulances, I all of a sudden realized that I wouldn't be getting out when I was scheduled to. I would have bitched, but I didn't have time.

The Film Geek picked me up, since we are still in one car mode. (Do not ask). He asked me how my day was and then when I was about three words into my answer he said well let me tell you about mine. And he did. All the way home. At the end of his saga I asked why he even bothered asking me how my day was. Why not just say hey I'm going to rant for five minutes and then I'll give a rat's ass about your day? He didn't really have an answer for that. Huh. If I'd expected one I would've been shocked.

We walked in the back door and in about thirty seconds had two kids and three dogs all clamoring for attention. My attention. Murphy's Law says that whoever is the most tired is automatically the most desirable. Except for some reason when the FG comes home tired he gets a little space to decompress. Huh. Wonder why that is? Not.

This was the soundtrack in my kitchen:

Gumby: Oh mom we took our social studies test today and I did really well except maybe not as well as Hannah, but we all know she cheats so it doesn't count and choir is starting in a week and I think there's something wrong with my thermos because it doesn't keep things warm and do you know what I think would be fun to do tomorrow and are you ready for your violin lesson because you keep saying you want one and you still haven't let me show you how to do power point and I got to a new level on Luigi's Mansion and is there any more pizza?

follow this past statement to the word "Hannah" and then Surfer Dude chimed in, talking in layers over his brother:

SD: Well, you wouldn't even guess what happened at recess today and I won at foursquare and I can't believe I only got a B on my math test and do you want to see me do my multiplication table as a speed round and do you know that Trixie can chase her tail for ten minutes in a row because I timed her and the only time she stopped was when she got so dizzy she puked in your jasmine and my teacher is so unfair because she always blames the boys and not the girls and that stupid old Maya is totally taking advantage of it and we're going to wedgie her on Monday and is there any more pizza?

And then there was the horror element of the evening, when the FG told me that Sasquatch's first quarter report card had come in the mail and then, mysteriously, disappeared. Sadly for Sasquatch his father had gotten a look at it first. I took a deep breath and decided I was too tired to fight tonight. There's always tomorrow.

So I listened to the younger two and asked appropriate questions and refereed math quizzes and violin exhibitions , sitting slumped at my kitchen table the whole time, eyes glazed and brain fricasseed. The FG, seeing which way the wind was blowing, went out for a bottle of wine. Smart from a survival standpoint, but also because he wanted to go out with a bunch of people and see a movie tonight. The old butter up routine in action.

I ate my pizza and checked my blog comments and watched TV with SD and the entire time there was a tape loop repeat of the above going on. They followed me from room to room talking. They trailed after me into the bathroom. Every time I took a bite of pizza they asked me a question and as soon as I had a conversation going with one of them the other one would jump in to stake their claim. They acted as if I had been gone a year instead of thirteen hours. (and they were in school for eight of them). Meanwhile the dogs were whining to go out or be scratched or be given a piece of pizza or something. Sasquatch sat on his Halo 3 Throne through it all.

I was on sensory overload at work all day and I continued it for hours after I got home. And while I much prefer home overload (watch me! watch ME mom!) to work overload ("yeah, I know it's my fourth pregnancy in three years, but I can't afford birth control"), it's all still overload.

But I have to give my husband credit. The wine sure helps.

18 comments:

Susan said...

Oh, you poor thing! I hope you get lots of rest tonight, sleep in, and can have a better day tomorrow. XO

Anonymous said...

You need to rest. Your mind and body are trying to tell you something and you need to listen to them, instead of everyone else in your life who is trying to get your attention. Pick your favorite book, go directly to your bed and stay there as late as poosible. You deserve a really good mind rest and body rest.
XOXOXO

ped crossing said...

I hope you sleep really well. And that tomorrow, when you can enjoy it, still be the favorite.

Akelamalu said...

Being a Mum is the most difficult job in the world and it doesn't help when you're holding down a full time job outside the home as well! You need a break honey. x

Mya said...

Stressed me out just reading that post! Sleep, sleep, sleep, wine, sleep, chocolate, sleep and when you wake up - some quiet time pottering in the garden (watch out for dog puke in the jasmine) - that's Dr Mya's prescription.

Take care.

Mya x

Anonymous said...

I hope you get to sleep in really late today, so you will be fully alert for that violin lesson.
But isn't it nice to know that you were missed and are needed?????

Amy said...

Oh, a good sleep is in order. I hope you get some time to unwind. It's nice to be wanted, though.

la bellina mammina said...

Sounds like how it was when I was working full time!! Get some rest if you can and don't fall sick! :-)

Anonymous said...

Wouldn't it be amazing if we could press a button on the wall and everyone around froze. Whatever they were doing, talking about, sitting on the toilet, anything they were currently partaking would simply stop. But you could carry on. You could go to your bed, grab as many hours as you want, eat as much as you want (it that is your desire), phone who you want without interruption, watch anything on tv, again with interruption - are you getting the picture. I wonder if there are any good inventors reading this!

Crystal xx

Flowerpot said...

cyrstal - my husband's an inventor - I'll get him on the case. Never fear correspondent - we're here!

Kim said...

Oh, RC, I have had that day. I know exactly how it feels. The wine does help, but decompression and sleep will help more. You'll be all better tomorrow.

At my house, hubby is the one on the Halo 3 throne. I swear, when a great new game comes out, I'm and xbox 360 widow for days.

Beth said...

OK. I'd just have run screaming out of the house, pulling on my hair and hoping no one was following me asking for another slice of pizza. After about 50 feet I would have been out of breath and would slow down so I could continue to scream. Then the men in the little white coats would come and take me to Shady Rest, where I would rest in the shade.

How do you do it? I don't even drink and I wanted a glass of wine after reading that.

Swearing Mother said...

Bloody hell, RC, sorry to swear on your comment page, but bloody hell, how do you do it? You need some quiet time before you go off bang.

Easier said that done, I know. I remember those days well when everbody wanted a piece of me until there were no pieces left. At all.

Life gets quieter, but then you miss the total chaos of it all when your kids go off to do their own thing. Being a working Mom makes it tough sometimes to get the balance right, but you sound incredibly well sorted.

I'm back at work on Monday and the lunacy will start again!

Pam said...

hope your getting plenty of rest...but then, isn't this always the life of 'moms'? at least your husband gives you wine to drink, mine just gives me more WHINE on top of everyone's lol

laurie said...

ah, it's great to be loved, eh?

i read all the blog posts i missed last week and laughed myself silly. thanks for the award! and i totally understand your desire to pick up and move somewhere new....i get that feeling a lot, even though i really don't want to go.

and you and i vacation in similar places--except i'd have to knock hawaii off your list and add in ireland.

Kimberly Vanderhorst said...

You must be so worn out!

It's moment like that in our house when mummy has a suspciously long, drawn out bowl movement. With the door locked. And a good book in hand.

Jo Beaufoix said...

Ahh sweetie.
You need a rest.
If the M-in-aw ever springs a surprise holiday on us again , you can have it.
There, you feel better now don't you?

Seriousy though hon, put your feet up.

Get the kids a dvd, a bag of crisps/chips, and a huge bottle of juice and retire to your boudoire for bubblebath, wine, chocolate, a massage or just some zzzzzzzzzzzz.
You do so much for everyone else. It's ok to have some RC time.
x

pursegirl said...

OMIGOD. How many shifts did you immediately call to get? Why is it that we, the mommies, must be everything? Sometimes it's good, but sometimes I just want someone else to be able to manage without asking me how to manange.