As a stay at home mom sometimes I forget I’m the lucky one as a stay at home mom. My husband has been gone for almost two weeks. Currently, he is sitting in an airport waiting for a delayed flight hoping to be home before we wake up tomorrow. It was a long two weeks. I was super busy in the beginning and it was emotionally tough to adjust to being on my own. Then as life would go, my son got sick and all the fun planned for the weekend pretty much disappeared. We struggled through with the help of friends providing food and Pedialyte and just laid low. We made it to Monday and I was so ready for it to be Friday and look we survived and it will be Friday in just a few more hours.
My husband was away and may have got to have a few nights on his own. Going to the movies, catching up with old friends, but yesterday and today he mentioned more than once how much he missed our son. Don’t worry, he claims he misses me too, but I’m pretty sure it isn’t the same. We talked every day, but most days my son wouldn’t actually talk to his dad. He was pretty mad that he was gone and although he cried for him often he would choose not to speak to him once he was actually on the phone. So I could see how my husband would miss him.
A few months ago I went to a conference and didn’t get a cold shoulder when I called on the phone. I was also a way for pleasure and not work. My husband was gone for work and although he applied to go to the class was still work each day.
Even so, some days it was hard to not get into the poor me party. I’m here and he is relaxing away. I’m here and he got to see a movie and had dinner alone. I’m here…but that is the thing. I was here. I didn’t miss anything. I didn’t miss out on extra cuddles. I didn’t miss out on the fun we had at the beginning of the week. I didn’t miss out on taking care of my little guy who was sick.
He is only going to be little once and as the saying goes, the days are long, but the years are short and I am the lucky one because I get to be here for all of it.
It doesn’t really make the days easier or more fun, but when I take a step back and look at the whole picture I am really the lucky one. I get to stay home with my child while he grows from a baby to a little boy and soon a man.
2 weeks is a long time. I am sure it has been challenging, but good for you for making the most of it. Also, none of my kids talked on the phone at that age and it can be heart breaking. My son would be with his grandma while I was on a trip and when I would call to talk he wouldn’t want to and it broke my heart. That has now changed for my 6 and 8 year old.
It was challenging, but we survived and I am so glad that it was actually before the new baby. I don’t know how it would have been if it was me and two boys so little how it would have gone.