Our biggest obstacle the last two weeks had very little to do with the tiny 2-legged creatures in our house, and much more to do with the fluffy 4-legged one. On May 1 I noticed that Chester had some ‘flea dirt’ and went into full on Rambo mode. So much more laundry and vacuuming than usual, as well as dog baths and multiple brushings a day. I also got a carpet cleaner and diatomaceous earth to make sure we were getting every possible egg, pupae, larvae, and adult.
How is this parenting related, you may ask? Well, the answer is twofold. As adults, the daily household chores generally fall onto us, so having 2x as much laundry & vacuuming was exhausting. Also, my preoccupation with getting/keeping the house sanitized meant I had less energy and attention for Ted & Jr. They were champions at first, but by last weekend they were over it & very clingy.
Parenting is a balancing act of all of the things that need to be done. Check out last week’s post about quality time for more on that. The last few weeks, the scales have tipped in Chester’s favor, because his needs were a priority. Soon it will balance back out and things will feel normal again soon.
In the meantime, we are trying to spend as much time in the backyard as we can. The boys will play in the dirt, or the kiddie pool, while I read a book. It has been great for all of us to spend time in the sunshine & fresh air, while still being close enough to a bathroom, water source, and occasional air conditioning breaks.
May in Houston has H-O-T hot. I keep reminding myself that we are only here for another month or so, then we will (hopefully) be somewhere cooler, or at least less humid.
Living in Plaid 