Josh is the Production Designer on a movie that's shooting for the next two weeks. He's also editing some nights. I used to be a "movie widow" during these times. Now I'm that plus a single parent. The transition has been interesting.
The first thing I've learned is that I can do it. I can fit in 8 hours of work and full-time attentive care for Zoë into one 24-hour period. This is good.
The second thing I've learned is that I cannot manage to do the above and eat normal meals, shower, pick up anything off the floor, etc.
However, I did spend the last two days running our car to various locations so that it would pass inspection and could therefore be registered today. You know what I hate? I hate the word FAILED written in 120-point bolded font across those forms. Maybe it's because I literally have never once had a car that passed on the first round (that's what you get for driving beaters). But also, is it really necessary? I think I'd get the point with something in the 40-point font range.
I also have made one trip to set toting forgotten ties and shoes. And I even have taken Zoë for walks/runs (which makes my not showering way grosser, I know, but I did bathe her last night! Does that count for something? She had to pee all over herself before I was motivated enough to do that, however).
So even if my "workday" doesn't end until after 11 pm and I look like a scary forest creature and my house looks like post-Wizard of Oz tornado site and I eat scraps of bread smeared with whatever I can find, Zoë is clean and happy and too little to care about any of that.
Therefore, I declare my working-mom-single-parenting stint a success (so far).
And then I bow down in awe to Josh's mom who did this for so many years with no end in sight.
p.s. I don't want you to get the idea that I am without help at this time. My parents and friends have been great. The problem is that Zoë is unwilling to be left with anyone for any amount of time (except Josh), so babysitting is out of the question. And I'm not going to have people clean my house. Or dress me . . .
4 comments:
Yep, welcome to motherhood. You've been initiated.
Wow, you sound like wonder woman! I can't believe that you can work eight hours and take care of a baby! Nice job. Oh crap...I just remembered that our car is not registered as of today.
I love the um, "inspiration" for Zoe's bath. All too often that's what reminds me that my children should probably be cleaned up...
Ahhh motherhood why does this post sound oh too familiar. Don't worry their are a lot of under bathed women in this world and even more underbathed children. I only eat things that I can quickly grab from the refrigerator ex. carrots, snap peas, almonds, or my children leftovers.
I'm impressed that you can do it all. Don't worry about the house. As long as everyone is happy every mother has probably been there.
I also think that at some point in time there are a lot of us who feel like a single mother as well. I remember having this conversation not to long ago with my cousin's wife.
I do have to give you ultimate credit for working 8 hours and still taking care of Zoe. I have not yet found a way to multi task being a full time mother with a full time job while feeling like a single mother so I am in awe.
I have just decided that I would ultimately be scraping the bottom of the barrel poor than over my limit stressed and hope Keaka can hack it. So hats off to you Rachel! You're doing a great job!
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