By Randy P:
Today finally arrived. It has been a stressful six weeks of preparation and today was presentation day. Internal executives whom I had never met flew to Charlotte specifically to hear my presentation. It was originally scheduled for last week but got changed last minute, so from 11-2 a sitter relieved me of my duties and I headed into work. I felt very detached only after five days of not having watched, read or heard any news and virtually no interaction with adults. I truly experienced “mommy brain” for the first time. (see prior CSP post on “Mommy Brain”) I was never a believer but now I am completely convinced it should be a genuine medical condition. Talking to adults for 90 minutes uninterrupted felt more like 90 days. Often times, the blank stares I received looked frighteningly similar to my kids when they are looking at me but not listening to a word I am saying or if what I am saying makes absolutely no sense to them. Either way, it became very distracting…
(Picture is what Jen P. was watching as I wrote this post – Mama Sea Turtle laying her eggs! Wonder what Dad was doing….)
Highlights
– Presentation is done
– Going to a neighbors for a play date and dinner
Lowlights
– Owen in hysterics for 45 minutes before I left for work. He repeated over and over. “I don’t want you to leave”. He has done that to mom countless times but never for me. It was very sad but also very special
Funniest thing of the day
At 9:35 p.m., while typing this post, long after the kids had been in bed, I heard an upstairs faucet running. I looked from the bottom of the stairs and no lights appeared to be on so I decided to investigate. As I got to the top, I could see light shining from underneath a closed bathroom door. As I got closer, I could hear giggling and I knew something was up. I opened the door to find both boys relieving themselves into the bathtub (with the water running). They said they were going potty so they could wear their underwear (vs. a diaper) to bed. That is my rule but going forward I will be sure to specify where they need to go…
Biggest Surprise
Seeing the three large zits on my chin that appeared overnight without warning. Yesterday, even though I knew better, I used the kid’s sunscreen and the result is always the same, spontaneous breakout. Maybe that’s why my presentation audience was giving me blank stares. You know when you are talking to someone who has an excessively large nose, wondering eye or large zit; you tend to concentrate so hard on not staring that you don’t retain any information…
7 comments
Randy, I have really looked forward to reading each post all week. I am SO impressed with you as a father, husband & WRITER…good gosh you are "his-terical"! Marcus & I have LOL at so many of your comments & experiences. I am especially touched today that you've admitted to mommy-brain…it's a hazy crazy world! Jen sent me the note & pic about the momma sea turtle while I was working late last night too and I'm so envious I wasn't on that beach with her watching nature's miracle unfold. Instead I'm at my laptop, working…in effort to pull my own miracle out of a hat! So glad she's getting a well deserved break, and SO glad you gave us all a week off too. Now I'm in fear for my blogger role with CSP…you are too Smarty for your own good. Thanks for all you do, keep up the great work!
Tracy S. wrote so well about “Mommy Brain” and certainly familiar to most everyone at one time or another. Frustrating and not so humorous at the time but a definite reality. I wonder Randy if you can relate to any of the past “happenings” this week with your precious 4 to your life as a loving, curious, energetic youngster? Any “I Remember When…..” stories to share?L+H’s
Randy your posts are fun! thanks for sharing!
Since you hijacked my sea turtle photo, I will expand on my experience! I used to volunteer at a turtle center here in Juno Beach, FL. So I knew that the timing right now is perfect for turtle-watching. In the past, 10p is the best time to start looking. There is a beach here that is protected with no lights for a 1- or 2-mile stretch so the turtles are in abundance during certain times of year. We walked for maybe 7 minutes and saw the signs of a mama turtle digging her nest. You cannot interrupt them, it’s actually a federal law. But you can observe and you have to stand behind the mama or she may abandon her nest. We watched for 1 hour and 15 minutes and it was one of the most beautiful things I have witnessed in life. For me, this was icing on my own cake – I am officially recharged and ready to come home:-)
this has been great to read! randy you have a knack for writing!
Randy – I have LOVED reading your posts all week as well! Glad to hear “Mommy Brain” spans both genders! :)Seriously, though – you’ve done such a great job, not only writing your daily blogs, but with your Mr Mom role overall. And THANK YOU so much for giving all of us at CSP a week off from writing. I agree with Ashley though … you could give us all a run for our money with your super smarty wit! Can’t wait to read tomorrow’s post!
I have looked forward to checking in each morning this week to hear what’s up in the Plym Household! Sounds like you are holding down fort just fine! Great job Randy! Those twins are a hoot! Are they more you or Jen?