Plus time alone!

Tommy barged in on me while I was putting on my nylons (in my bedroom, with the door closed) and informed me that I was looking "pretty.....fluffy today."
Today he opened the bathroom door to inform me that I needed some privacy; then tried to lock himself out, which took longer than I did to finish, wash my hands, and leave the room using the other door.
John demanded (with his meanest demand voice and saddest face) that I hold him while I cook dinner. And clean up afterward.

The thing about being a mom (of little ones - does this change?) is that it never ever includes time alone. Not naturally anyway.

There are rare and blessed moments when all the babies are sleeping or otherwise occupied and you get to do whatever you want. But they are moments.

There are the hours after they go to sleep (or before waking up) but in my world they are not alone. They are filled with planning the next day, recovering from this day and praying for not too many more days before you get to take a deep breath and maybe a long nap. An often these short hours are filled with other people. Husbands, friends, family, fictional tv characters (hello Neil Caffery!) others. All things I choose to do. But they are still things.

The other day we went to pick up the van from the dealership (Dude, this car has been in the shop for minor-stupid-warranty-covered-stuff almost monthly since we got it. Disappointing.) and Josh drove the kids home and I drove the empty car home. With the radio off I realized that these were my first moments of silence all by myself in....I don't know - 3 years? Perhaps an exaggeration - but I honestly couldn't come up with an answer.

With Josh around all the time you'd think this wouldn't be so constant. But it is. Because as soon as both kids are occupied Josh is standing over me wondering what we're doing or where we're going or what's for dinner. He wants to read or play or see what I'm doing. Let me be clear, he isn't intentionally obnoxious, he's just....there. And when the kids are busy he assumes that means we can hang out together. 

Now I think about driving to work every day. EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. and not singing to the kids or answering their questions about where we're going, or what we're doing, or what comes next, or what's that animal, or why aren't we in those mountains, or can we have some nuggets, or what to do with those boogers they just found, or who sings this song, or "what's that guy's name is" or....or....or..... I simply can't imagine the peace and quiet. 

With this much time in my own head I just might be able to solve world hunger, or at the very least figure out what we're eating for dinner. 

I'm excited to have a little outside interaction. Maybe I'll start reading the news! Maybe I'll find out about things from places other than facebook! Maybe just maybe I'll have an original thought that isn't reinventing wet wipes! Think about it - if you had a washcloth that you could just throw away because it's too icky to wash out - now that would be a thing of beauty. Every mother's dream. I'd use it to wipe the baby's face...but first I'd get it wet. I could call it a.....drumroll.....wet wipe! wah wah waaaahhhhhh. Already invented. 

Hard to imagine what I'll do with my lonely time.

But you can bet I won't be singing Old McDonald Had A Farm.