Snow Day--Again
We got about a foot, maybe more, of snow in the latest storm to grace the East Coast with its presence. I suppose this is where I should post lots of darling photos of my children frolicking in the snow, making lumpy snow people, and gleefully creating snow angels.
Yeah, well. That's now how it happened. Oh, sure, Charlotte did all those things, but I didn't have a camera with me, plus I was chasing a beagle and keeping an ear on the baby monitor for a sick Lorelei.
I can explain.
Yesterday morning, it started to snow. School/daycare was already cancelled/closed and our world was prepared to hunker down for the dumping. Well, Chris went to work. Because he had an Important Meeting.
Lorelei, meanwhile, was a ball of snotty, feverish misery. And CRANKINESS. Now, with the advent of telework, non-teachers don't get snow days. No matter how many kids are in their house due to closed schools.
During the last snow day, when day care was closed and OF COURSE Chris was in Salt Lake, I was a total cliche of working mommyhood. Stuck on a call that last exactly 71 minutes (oh my goodness, I thought it would never end), I had my two children doing everything evil: crying, screaming, pounding on the piano, repeatedly slamming the French doors in the office, fighting ("IT'S MIIIIIIINE!!!"), asking for snacks/lunch/movie/FROZEN, and just general noise-making. I tried to hop on and off mute as best I could, and my co-workers and boss were amused ("Which one is yelling for you now?" she'd ask). Finally, when giving an update on a project I was working on as I simultaneously watched Lorelei contemplate climbing a bookcase, I kept losing my train of thought. "I'm sorry," I confessed, breaking that Working Mom Rule that you should never let on how much your kids are affecting your work. "I'm really distracted right now [mute] LORELEI, GET DOWN!"
So, for this snow day, I was stressed just thinking about balancing work and the crankiest toddler ever. After realizing that I had one long-ass day ahead of me, I had my DUH moment. Lorelei was sick. My child was sick, her fever pushing 102 degrees. She needed her mommy. And Maryland law says you can take sick leave for an ill child. Woohoo!
I mean, I wasn't glad she was sick, but if I would've taken a sick day on a non-snow day, why couldn't I take one on a snow day? I emailed my boss and told her the situation. (Anticipating the snow, I had gotten nicely on top of things in case the girl-children slowed me down when the snow hit). With my boss in the loop and blessing it, I was free to take care of Lorelei, not distracted by work.
And let me tell you. That is one freaking freeing feeling.
So, I doted on her all day, to the point that Charlotte was getting miffed. So, when Lorelei wanted to watch Frozen (Charlotte, incredibly, is TIRED of Frozen), Charlotte and I read book after book after book after book together, snuggled under a quilt.
During Lorelei's nap, I quickly checked email to ensure the world wasn't crashing down (it wasn't) and kept a couple things moving, and then Charlotte and I went outside to play in the snow. During the last snow, Chris had let Emma off-leash, and she had stayed close but joyfully ran and played. So, I wanted her to get to do that again.
BIG MISTAKE.
Emma frolicked, sure. But then . . . she bolted. And she's fast.
So, as I prayed no neighbors were looking out their windows, I ran through 12 inches of snow (and it was still snowing) after my dang dog. Oh, Emma was having a ball. This was the funnest game of chase EVER! Her tail wagged uncontrollably. Such doggie joy! Unfortunately, Emma is incredibly stubborn and utterly disobedient. She does NOTHING on command. So, me shrieking, "Emma! STOP! Emma! COME!" achieved nada. A half mile or so later, I still had her in my sights, but I got scared. She has a great nose, but with well over a foot of snow on the ground, would she be able to smell her way home? And I was totally snowed in. I couldn't get in the car and drive around looking for her. Oh, and I had two small children, including one napping and sick toddler, to haul around, too.
Chasing her wasn't working. It was a fun game she wanted to keep playing. I did the only thing left to do at that point: I got down on my knees in my most non-threatening, come-let-me-love-on-you position, and put my hands out--Emma knows that's her cue to come get a good rub down. It was my last option.
Oh so very far away, Emma turned. She paused. And, thank the dog gods, she ran--fast fast fast!--to me, straight into my arms.
Of course, then, having no leash, I got to trudge back through the snow, carrying her.
I'm sore.
Beagle bolting aside, Charlotte and I enjoyed the snow. I even shoveled away enough of the plow's mound for Chris to get over it, into our driveway.
Miraculously, Chris made it home, traveling across all those twisty, hilly, snow-covered back roads (after nightfall, no less!). Granted, he got stuck in our driveway, but hey. He made it home. And a neighbor was there within about 10 seconds, offering the use of his snow blower, bless his heart.
Lorelei struggled through the night, and this morning, Chris and I agreed she should see the pediatrician. Chris obtained an early-morning appointment and voila, ear infection diagnosed. (Yes, CHRIS took her to the doctor.) She was still battling congestion (actually her cold seems to be worsening), so the doc opted to treat it. Antibiotics obtained.
Chris handed off Lorelei and headed into the office. He had a meeting with the executive team that was a no-miss sort of thing, but I was grateful that he had cleared his morning schedule to be Lorelei's daddy.
So, I guess it worked out. TGIF, though. Lordy.
Yeah, well. That's now how it happened. Oh, sure, Charlotte did all those things, but I didn't have a camera with me, plus I was chasing a beagle and keeping an ear on the baby monitor for a sick Lorelei.
I can explain.
Yesterday morning, it started to snow. School/daycare was already cancelled/closed and our world was prepared to hunker down for the dumping. Well, Chris went to work. Because he had an Important Meeting.
Lorelei, meanwhile, was a ball of snotty, feverish misery. And CRANKINESS. Now, with the advent of telework, non-teachers don't get snow days. No matter how many kids are in their house due to closed schools.
During the last snow day, when day care was closed and OF COURSE Chris was in Salt Lake, I was a total cliche of working mommyhood. Stuck on a call that last exactly 71 minutes (oh my goodness, I thought it would never end), I had my two children doing everything evil: crying, screaming, pounding on the piano, repeatedly slamming the French doors in the office, fighting ("IT'S MIIIIIIINE!!!"), asking for snacks/lunch/movie/FROZEN, and just general noise-making. I tried to hop on and off mute as best I could, and my co-workers and boss were amused ("Which one is yelling for you now?" she'd ask). Finally, when giving an update on a project I was working on as I simultaneously watched Lorelei contemplate climbing a bookcase, I kept losing my train of thought. "I'm sorry," I confessed, breaking that Working Mom Rule that you should never let on how much your kids are affecting your work. "I'm really distracted right now [mute] LORELEI, GET DOWN!"
So, for this snow day, I was stressed just thinking about balancing work and the crankiest toddler ever. After realizing that I had one long-ass day ahead of me, I had my DUH moment. Lorelei was sick. My child was sick, her fever pushing 102 degrees. She needed her mommy. And Maryland law says you can take sick leave for an ill child. Woohoo!
I mean, I wasn't glad she was sick, but if I would've taken a sick day on a non-snow day, why couldn't I take one on a snow day? I emailed my boss and told her the situation. (Anticipating the snow, I had gotten nicely on top of things in case the girl-children slowed me down when the snow hit). With my boss in the loop and blessing it, I was free to take care of Lorelei, not distracted by work.
And let me tell you. That is one freaking freeing feeling.
So, I doted on her all day, to the point that Charlotte was getting miffed. So, when Lorelei wanted to watch Frozen (Charlotte, incredibly, is TIRED of Frozen), Charlotte and I read book after book after book after book together, snuggled under a quilt.
 |
| Indoor playtime: Charlotte "building" a fort. She even added a car seat (with a cup holder!) in there as her furniture and made pictures and taped them on the "walls" as her artwork. Then she drew raindrops on the outside (it's raining when she's inside) as well as a monster who is trying to get in and eat her. Isn't she creative?! |
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| The hammering continues, under Lorelei's supervision. |
During Lorelei's nap, I quickly checked email to ensure the world wasn't crashing down (it wasn't) and kept a couple things moving, and then Charlotte and I went outside to play in the snow. During the last snow, Chris had let Emma off-leash, and she had stayed close but joyfully ran and played. So, I wanted her to get to do that again.
BIG MISTAKE.
Emma frolicked, sure. But then . . . she bolted. And she's fast.
So, as I prayed no neighbors were looking out their windows, I ran through 12 inches of snow (and it was still snowing) after my dang dog. Oh, Emma was having a ball. This was the funnest game of chase EVER! Her tail wagged uncontrollably. Such doggie joy! Unfortunately, Emma is incredibly stubborn and utterly disobedient. She does NOTHING on command. So, me shrieking, "Emma! STOP! Emma! COME!" achieved nada. A half mile or so later, I still had her in my sights, but I got scared. She has a great nose, but with well over a foot of snow on the ground, would she be able to smell her way home? And I was totally snowed in. I couldn't get in the car and drive around looking for her. Oh, and I had two small children, including one napping and sick toddler, to haul around, too.
Chasing her wasn't working. It was a fun game she wanted to keep playing. I did the only thing left to do at that point: I got down on my knees in my most non-threatening, come-let-me-love-on-you position, and put my hands out--Emma knows that's her cue to come get a good rub down. It was my last option.
Oh so very far away, Emma turned. She paused. And, thank the dog gods, she ran--fast fast fast!--to me, straight into my arms.
Of course, then, having no leash, I got to trudge back through the snow, carrying her.
I'm sore.
 |
| She looks like she feels really guilty about what she put me through, doesn't she? Gah. |
Beagle bolting aside, Charlotte and I enjoyed the snow. I even shoveled away enough of the plow's mound for Chris to get over it, into our driveway.
 |
| I texted this photo to Chris in the afternoon, hoping to scare him into coming home. It didn't work. |
Miraculously, Chris made it home, traveling across all those twisty, hilly, snow-covered back roads (after nightfall, no less!). Granted, he got stuck in our driveway, but hey. He made it home. And a neighbor was there within about 10 seconds, offering the use of his snow blower, bless his heart.
 |
| Snow still on the car, even after an hour-long drive home. |
Chris handed off Lorelei and headed into the office. He had a meeting with the executive team that was a no-miss sort of thing, but I was grateful that he had cleared his morning schedule to be Lorelei's daddy.
 |
| The sickie. When you're sick, Mommy gives you your favorite foods. But sometimes you feel too shitty to eat them. |
So, I guess it worked out. TGIF, though. Lordy.
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