Obsessed and Compulsed

For a really long time, I denied the fact that I was very OCD. My wife has been patient and understanding in dealing with my ways and helping me to relax and go with the flow more. Since starting to stay at home I have also done some channeling and put this part of me to work. Organization and planning are a big part of my OCD. This week I'm going to lay out for you what I (try to) do each day to keep the house clean, organized and running smoothly. 

From my daily list. I'm not so obsessed that I do each of these things every week but I keep an eye on them and the first week of the month (like this one) I do everything.

 The laundry list. Clockwork, every week.

Update: The Snip

So the results are in, I'm shooting blanks. There goes my chance at making a fool of myself dancing on the stage on the Maury Show after the results are unveiled. Actually, maybe now is a better time than ever to go because I know I'll get to dance. I'll also get to make up my own crazy percentage: "I am one million nine-hundred thousand eight-hundred and seventy-eight percent sure I'm not the father!" Even though it is no longer taped in New York I'll take a free trip to Connecticut.

Yeah, I know where Maury is taped. You think I'm kidding about all this?

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Pulling up on her own...next up: walking.

Crashed out on the floor. Sick and tired, literally.

Nothing like a new playground.

Birthday party bubbles.

Photographer

We don't take many photos around house. In fact both the girls are a bit camera shy...

Seriously though, Ru loves pretending to take pictures. It was only a matter of time before she got her hands on the camera and was behind the lens. I was a little scared giving her the expensive digital to play with but at least the strap was around her neck and she was careful. Here are her shots from dinner last night. 

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Avoiding Bed

Ru's latest thing is trying to talk her way out of naps and bedtime. I give her full credit for her attempts at sneaking around resting. She's crafty and clever when coming up with reasons and excuses. She's also been known to save a potty trip so she can use it after we have laid her down. If she gets really desperate she'll resort to standard fare like "I'm hot" or "there is a monster in my room" but usually she goes outside the box to stay outside the bedroom.

Time out and other punishments are not a deterrent. There have only ever been a couple times she asked to nap or go to bed, so few you could count them on one hand.  The only times she doesn't resist is if she has missed a nap or had a really big day.

What do your kids do to avoid naps and bed or are they perfect about getting to sleep?

Easter Festivities

Easter Egg Hunt

Perfect weather and man did the kids love it. Due to a scheduling error, we missed the actual hunt but some generous parents (and grandparents) were nice enough to recycle some found eggs for the late comers. It was funny to wait for her back to turn and lob an egg across the grass. 

 

Easter Morning

 

 

Easter morning was a win thanks to inspired basket construction by my most excellent wife (with help on contents from GG). Any excuse to tear apart wrapping and open stuff. Oddest item of the morning: rubber chicks that light up when you strike or throw them. Not sure what this is teaching kids about nature and animals but they love it all the same.

Dinner and drinks at G.G.'s 

 

Though we were bummed by the absence of my cousin's fiance, we were excited that Uncle Greg made it. Special thanks to Publix for having a build your own six pack wall and to my mother for cooking enough for a small army and understanding my holiday MO: drink, eat, drink more, pass out on the carpet.

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Recent Reactions

There have been a couple opportunities lately to gauge reactions when the stay at home dad situation came up in conversation. Both were, oddly enough, at a playground in our neighborhood.

The first was late on a sunny afternoon. There was a chance of rain but we decided to hit it while we could. Apparently I walked right into the middle of a stay at home mom play group: 4 moms all with 2 children, mixed ages, both boys and girls. Their kids, for the most part, were friendly and well behaved. Ruby was able to get in  easily and led and followed in play with the others.

I didn't invite myself into their conversation but I didn't shy away when they started talking to me either. Eventually it came up that I stayed at home with the kids. One of the mothers became a little standoffish, like she couldn't imagine such a thing and left soon after. One mother in particular seemed especially interested and the questions came quick. We discussed schedules, housekeeping, etc. It was a little surreal.

There was an underlying vibe, almost like they just couldn't believe I was actually able to watch two children and keep them from killing themselves. Their comments were pretty funny at times too: "You looking like you are doing a good job," "Don't get discouraged" and "Keep your chin up." From the conversation, my best guess is that their seeming lack of faith in me stemmed from the fact that all of them had zero faith in their husband's abilities to handle children. One even went as far as to say her husband could handle about ten minutes before he threw in the towel. I've heard this from my wife before talking about some of her friend's husbands. I also expressed that I never knew how much work it actually was to stay at home and run the household on a day to day basis. This also seemed to strike a nerve, a few saying they wished their husbands could hear the conversation because they couldn't understand how the mom could be tired after "just" being home all day.

The second conversation was early last week. I ran into a friend and neighbor from the community I grew up in. She has a daughter Ruby's age. Conveniently, they live nearby and the kids played great together. Discussing our arrangements and spouses, I told her I stayed at home. Knowing me, she thought it was awesome and had no doubt I was completely capable. I told her about the prior encounter at the park and some of the mother's reactions and she laughed and said their husband's must be idiots. "All you do is wipe poop off their butts."

It isn't quite that simple...but in reality, it isn't so difficult either.  

Improvisation

So you wake up in the morning and it's already shaping up to be one of those days: blown light bulb in the bonus room and you are out of good bulbs, your pc monitor has bit the dust and you cooked breakfast for your daughter and she wants no part of it.

Improvise.

The chandelier in the dining room has five bulbs, taking one out won't even make a difference. The 27inch tv/dvd combo in the bedroom that you never use? Say hello to the new computer monitor. And breakfast? Who wouldn't prefer waffles over a Nutri-Grain bar?

Didn't plan on going to Target today but what can you do?
Don't think I'll be computer monitor shopping though, this thing is awesome. 

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Sno Shack, Chelsea AL.