Lawrence Thomas

Well, it’s only 9:06am, but it seems like it should already be lunchtime.

The kids have had breakfast, played some, watched a little cartoons, and Abby is already down for a nap. 6:30am risers makes for early nap times I guess. When is mine?

Although I am a little tired as I am not normally much of a morning person, there is something about being up with the birds that is like no other part of the day.

Blue skies, yet the sun has yet to rise above the rooftops. The living room is quiet except the soothing sounds of children taking steady gulps of their bottles and sippy cups, and the crunch of dog food in the kitchen. It is certainly one of the days briefest moments,  but definitely one of the most peaceful.

As is always the case with those quiet moments, they come to an end, and suddenly the sounds of sucking air and an empty bottle, the dog gorging on an after breakfast drink of water, the oldest switching on the televsion and the crashing of toys to the floor, the the house is alive again until nap time.

“Super califragilistic, espialodocious.” Not sure if I spelt that right, but that is about the only sound in the background now except the gentle splash of water in the still fishless fish tank. I am 36 years old, and I still love the sounds of cartoons in the background. I get that from my 94 year old grandfather. I actually bought him Song of the South a hanfull of years back for his birthday. The magic of the internet and EBay. He had tears in his eyes as he watched it again. It would seem the key to living to 100, is watch more cartoons.

It was a bit of a rough start to the morning. The dog breaking out of her crate and jumping into bed with me while my wife was getting ready for work, was actually a cute way to wake up. Nothing like a face wash and a snuggle from an otherwise rambuncious mutt.

However, because our local supermarket is closing and not re-opening in the new store until September 10th, their stock is very low and there wasn’t a bag of milk to be found anywhere. I just figured I would walk to the corner store in the morning, but I hadn’t contemplated the kids waking up before I had a chance to buy some milk. So, we had a couple of cran-pots on our hands at 6:30am. Luckily, my wife was quick on her toes and mentioned a little leftover formula in the cupboard that we could use, and she was able to calm down the oldest with a dollar store gift for waking up with a dry bum, so as mommies do, Eva saved the day.

Well, breakfast this morning was just a piece of toast for the kids, and some chocolate chip Weatabix for me, and for the most part, other than a couple of bum changes, bottles and sippy cups of milk, it’s been a lazy morning thus far.

It’s another beautiful day out there, so I think we’ll take our chances on the bus and visit Papa at the hot dog cart. My fathers retirement career. Hot dog maker/socialite. He loves it.

Close my eyes or clean the kitchen? big YAWN

Well, a certain Depeche Mode song comes to mind right about now. It’s 9:24pm, the house is quite - ‘Enjoy the Silence’.

Seriously though, I could not have asked for a better day. I am absolutely exhausted, but the fact that I was up until 1am this morning didn’t help.

After a I did the dishes (the handful I actually had to do by hand thanks to our relatively new dish washer), I took a few minutes to sit with Emma and watch a bit of a movie. 

Mr Magorium’s Wonder Emporium. The first 20 minutes were good, but that’s about all I caught between head bob’s, so I quickly shook my head, jumped up, and did a little more cleaning.

Tonight was our first interview for childcare since my wife decided to quit her job to be a full-time mom and daycare provider. It’s a friend of the family but still, I had orders to make sure the place was presentable for our first potential client. Well, I think the deal was already done, but none the less, I had my work cut out for me on my first day as Daddy Daycare.

Around the time I figured Abby was going to awake from her nap, I starting prepping lunch. I grabbed the leftover barbecued chicken from the dinner I made the night before, some wraps, and I found some herb & garlic cream cheese for a sread. I like to imporovise. It makes things interesting. My wife and kids don’t always agree.

I let Emma try the spread first before I made her wrap, but she liked it.  I threw some peppers and onions on mine, placed a handful of crackers and carrots (and peas for me and Abby), on the side, made a bottle for the baby, woke her up, and then we had a feast.

After lunch, I decided it was finally time to use the pool the kids hadn’t the chance to use yet, so I dressed them in their suits, grabbed a bucket of water toys, and into the backyard we went .

The kids had an absolute blast! Abby is big enough now, that I really didn’t have to worry about her. I still kept a safe distance and all, but that kid has no fear. Her big sister had her giggling uncontrollably and they played so well together. Emma would go down the slide and splash Abby, and Abby would smile and laugh her little heart out. I have some recordings and photos from the day, but I haven’t the energy. I posted a few on my Facebook. Perhaps I’ll create an album for my week in review.

I don’t recall how long the little fishes plopped around in the pool, but I do know that poor Abby’s little lips were blue when I did take her out. Nice dad I am.

After I dried Abby off, I put her in her stroller with the play-tray I made for her and a handfull of the water toys for her to suck on, while Emma continued to splash and work on some blue lips of her own.

Gracie was being a good little dog the whole while, so I let her into the yard to play in the water too. I put her in the pool, but as soon as Emma started pooring water on her, she was gone. She was still tramatized from her bath the night before I think because she loves getting sprayed with the hose.

Even the stray cat who adopted us, hung out in the yard with us and caught some sun. That is until the dog noticed him and all heck broke loose. Those two have their moments.

I was finally able to get Emma out of the pool so we could get cleaned up for company, so we all headed inside and the kids played around for a bit while I did some more cleaning up from lunch. Dishes and toys, and more dishes and toys. No rest for the wicked.

I attempted to get Abby down for a nap around 4pm, but Eva was home just after 4:30 and Abby was still fussing around.

I managed to get the house all clean, swepted and vaccumed,  before the company arrived. If only Eva had seen the place about a half hour before she arrived. It wasn’t too far off the aftermath of the party on the movie Weird Science.  No rockets in the livingroom though or smelling piles of … well, you know.It was a mess though.

The place was a disaster again after the new daycare child left, but the kids all got along well and had lots of fun. Having a boy Abby’s age is going to be so much fun for her. Now we just have to find a child Emma’s age (which me may have), and we are all set. If spending the day with the kids today wasn’t reminder enough of why it’s so important to have Eva home with the kids, seeing Abby and the new boy play was just more proof.

I give my wife credit. 2 is crazy. I can’t imagine 3 or 4?

We cheated on dinner seeing as though that was the one thing I didn’t have ready when my wife arrived, as by the time our interview was over, the kids were driving us up the wall with hunger so I ran to McDonalds and ruined our healthy eating day.  You really understand why the wives some times just ask for takeout some days. There is no relaxing lunch out under a shady tree or hanging around the watercooler talking about the Tiger-cats.  Rest just means there is more to do when you get the motivation to get back up again.

I can’t wait until tomorrow. So far I am leaning towards “I wish it was me.” I wouldn’t have thought that? Although, that’s just the end of day one. I did have an idea of how to make a business out of this that goes beyond just a daycare. I wish my mind would stop working sometimes. I really need to rest my brain this week. A week off was way beyond over due.My motivation levels at work were bordering on zero by about 3pm Thursday; and I still had just over a day of work to go before my ‘vacation’.

Well, that’s it for today. I am going to bed!

Well, today is my first day of Daddy Daycare for the week.

We are in transission, as my wife enters her last week at her current job, and as we prepare for her new position of Mommy Daycare and we fill this place full of kids.

At weeks end, I will either be (as my mother would say), ready for basket weaving, or, wishing I was the one to stay home and watch these two beautiful girls grow.

Basket weaving, or old pro by weeks end. All I can hope for is at least, a happy medium.

Never mind good luck to me. Good luck to the kids.

I must run before the dog east any more toys.