Jerad is FINALLY coming home today. He wasn't able to get everyone a flight yesterday. Well he could have but it was $600 cheaper to come home today. They should have been pulling in the driveway right about now but they got delayed in Phoenix because the weather in San Fran was too rainy to land. Or something.
11 days. That's how long he's been gone. Sheesh! He's only ever been gone that long once before. I was king of dreading this trip, Marshall has been going through a huge "daddy phase," the daylight hours are getting shorter and shorter, it was supposed to rain, I'm huge and pregnant and TIRED...but actually overall it went really smoothly!
I'm not gonna lie, the first 3 days were haaaard. Marshall was teething (never fails that he'll start cutting 900 teeth as soon as Jerad leaves) and would wake up every night at about 2am crying and the only thing that would make him calm down was us sitting in the living room watching a movie. And it had to be the living room. Snuggled up in my bed with the lap top was a huge no-go. I think being downstairs with the bigger TV was just enough to distract him maybe? It was seriously the ONLY thing that would get him to calm down. We'd go back to bed about 3:30 then have to get up and get ready 2 hours later.
3 days of that is just enough time to loose your sanity and begin to question all of your parenting decisions. I was seriously second guessing our decision to never let Marshall "cry it out." Putting a pillow over my head and letting him scream in his room seemed a lot more appealing than having to get up and actually parent him. Maybe if I gave him a bottle of vodka before bed he'd just sleep through the pain (kidding)? Every time I complained to my coworkers about being exhausted they tell me I should stop letting him "manipulate" me into doing what he wanted to do and that I needed to "win these small battles."
In the middle of the night when I was beyond exhausted, and beyond sick of watching Blue's Clues, I'd look at the baby boy cuddled up next to me and remind myself that someday he won't be a baby anymore. And won't want to cuddle. And even if it seems like an eternity now, this whole thing was just a phase and I needed to enjoy it because SOMEDAY and somehow I would miss these nights.
Then magically on day 4 he must have started feeling better because he never woke up even once during the night after that. After that things were amazing. Marshall was EXTRA cute and funny and adorable all week. He started doing a ton of new things and saying a ton of new words. And was honestly just 100% a joy to be with. Like dumping his bowl out and putting it on his head and saying in a silly little voice "oh, hat!" He's just a funny little guy. We played outside with the dogs every day and took a million little videos to send to Jerad so he still felt like a part of the fam. On the nights Jerad was back to his hotel in time we'd all video chat on the computer and Marshall would talk and talk and make animal noises. Or poke Jerad's mouth on the computer screen while Jerad pretended to bite his fingers.
When it was bed time I'd just say "let's go to bed" and he'd go get in his bed and not make a peep until morning. He slept in on the weekends, and took 2 great naps every day.
I went to bed between 8 and 9 every night so I even got a ton of extra sleep.
I made the effort to go to prenatal yoga last week and this week which really helps my mood. Getting out and doing something for myself once a week seriously just improves my outlook on the world. Today I went and had my hair done which is a HUGE extravagance for me. If I get it cut its usually at Supercuts (with a coupon), and if I get it colored I do it myself with a box color (that's on sale). Hair is just not something that I spend money on. Hence why I'm usually rocking a ponytail! Originally when I made the apt Jerad was going to be home to watch Marshall so when I found out he wouldn't be I *almost* canceled it just because paying a babysitter on top of knowing I'd be paying so much for the cut/color just seemed redic.
I'm super glad I went though, it was worth it.
Usually when Jerad is gone for more than 2 or 3 days I wind up feeling like I'm being stretched too thin and not able to give 100% to anything I'm doing. This time I feel like there was a great balance of Marshall getting enough attention and stimulating activities, the dogs getting enough exercise, the house staying clean, errands getting done, keeping on top of things at work, AND somehow getting "me time." All without sacrificing sleep. That said I'm super excited that Jerad will be home in (supposedly) an 2 hours and hopefully he won't have to be gone this long again! At least not until after Miller comes... I'm 34 weeks today so we're kind of entering the homestretch on this whole pregnancy business.
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