Solo

Luke left for Texas on Saturday morning.

Waving goodbye.

The girls and I went to the gym and then Costco for our big shopping trip. They each ate their *entire* piece of pizza in the food court. I had a bratwurst sans bun.

I don't know how it's possible but I love her more every day.

Josie is a very slow, very deliberate eater.

That night a sitter came over so I could go to Becky's bday dinner. Fun with friends!

On Sunday Jenny and Amanda came over for Meal Prep Day. Amanda brought her Instant Pot (the toast of the Internet) and extra baking sheets. We made: beef stew (from Costco - and I slow cooked it the evening before); shredded chicken (chicken thighs + can of red enchilada sauce in slow cooker); flank steak; poached chicken breasts in the Instant Pot; bacon and eggs; roasted brussels sprouts and green beans. Jenny had the genius idea of adding a generous dollop of spinach artichoke dip over the chicken nestled with veggies - so delicious when re-heated. When I went through my Costco receipt and we divvied everything up, the cost was only $72 a person! And we made too much. I have several meals left. We will definitely do this again - it was great to combine friend time and household maintenance time.

Tuesday. The daycare called to say Josie and fallen and cut her chin on a wooden boat fixture. I hurried over to the daycare, collected her, and walked her to the emergency department (benefits of onsite daycare and ER?)

Waiting in triage.

I didn't get much of a look at the laceration until they applied the numbing cream. It was pretty deep. Josie happily watched TV and, when she tired of a show she wasn't familiar with, a pirated Sleeping Beauty on YouTube. Thank you, bootlegger -- that upload was a lifesaver. The numbing took 45 minutes or more.

Time for what the doctor called "string bandaids". Three adults and I held Josie down, her arms behind her in a pillowcase, while she screamed MY DONE! MY DONE! ALL DONE! MOMMY! MOMMY! She was terrified. Five stitches.

All over. Here she crying because I told her we were finished with Sleeping Beauty. I complimented the nurse on the cleverness of the styrofoam cup Popsicle-dribble holder and she replied, "Pinterest."

Quick lunch in the cafeteria and back to school. I wish Josie and I could have gone to do something fun after her ordeal but I had to go back to work. I had a sitter coming over to watch Josie while I took C to dance that evening. Instead I left both girls with the sitter (who fortunately could stay later than I had booked) and went back to work that night to finish my cases. It was a day I felt like a dedicated professional but only an ok mom. However, like my friend pointed out, I actually spent more time with Josie than I usually do on a weekday. She napped at school and when I picked her up she was happily playing outside.

We began swim lessons again this week. I picked up the girls after school and we had dinner at Qdoba. No lessons for Josie due to her stitches. (The girls have way too much swimwear which is too bad because the new Hanna Andersson stuff is so cute!) I saw at least two families leave the gym with their kids clad in their pajamas and I will definitely steal that idea!

Hanging out with "an angry pwincess."

There was advance notice of an ice storm on Friday - businesses were closing early, etc. The daycare called me at eleven to say they were closing at three. The roads were fine but the car was glazed with ice after our seven minute drive home. I bustled them inside for frozen pizza and their first viewing of 101 Dalmatians.

My parents arrived home earlier than they thought and for the second time in as many months they came straight from the airport to pick up the girls. (Wheels on the tarmac, you're on duty, Grandma and Pop Pop!)

Sleepily waiting.

Here is the girls' twist on separation anxiety when it comes to going to Grandma's house: they're anxious about how quickly they can get in the car. Josie in the entryway, turning to my mom: "You tumming [coming]? I got my boots on."

Off they went. Usually I relish the alone time but I missed them immediately. I put gas in the car (#1 most hated chore), went to the library, picked up some groceries. Deciding that Sunday would be my work catch-up day (why the grandparents swooped in), I tackled a project I've been putting off for a while: sorting the girls' clothes and culling the items for Ava. It turns out this exercise - long considered, always put off - took about 25 minutes. Winter clothes, summer clothes, Ava clothes. I did all the laundry in the house, put on the brand-new sheets (Costco always gets me with a surprise purchase - this trip was so-soft sheets), and watched Top Chef while the washer whirred, the travel plans coalesced, and I Prime'd a few things for C's birthday. She wants a Barbie for her birthday but I'm not sure if I want introduce Barbie and her baggage at this point.

New Yorker cartoon by Carolita Johnson

On Sunday I slept in until 10! I got dressed to go into work, starting sipping my iced coffee and ... my car wouldn't start. Uber'ed to work, got done what I needed to, Uber'ed home. Luke's Sunday gig in Texas was rained out and he started home early. With him en route and the girls in WashMO, the car problem could wait. I spent the afternoon on travel plans, finishing Top Chef (which I love but really it should be called Top Short-Order Chef, since we never get to see any slow methods employed), reading Patient HM/ perusing the cookbooks I checked out from the library.

Luke arrived home, (welcome home! fix my problem!) jumped the battery in my car, and we had bunless burgers at Five Star Burgers. On Wednesday we held down Josie while I snipped her stitches out and now -- we're back to normal. Such a wonderful place to be.