The Kids

Annie and I have had a longer than normal stretch of days with the kids. Based on a somewhat informal custody arrangement, the kids are normally with their paternal grandmother every other weekend, and most Friday nights in between. The past several weeks, grandma has been away or busy, and had actually taken the kids more often the weeks prior due to my travel schedule, so we were basically catching up.

It shouldn't be a big deal, because we're the parents and this is our house and this is where the kids live. But wow, it feels exhausting lately. Two other factors: one, the weather turned, and it is no longer normal for the kids to be outside with friends in our complex all afternoon - so that means indoors, and needing structure and attention (and snacks); and two, Annie was out of town Mon-Fri last week. So I got the Mr. Mom treatment pretty good. My nerves were frayed a bit last weekend, and I snapped at Preston Sunday night - by Tuesday, I flipped out on Zoey, too. Not surprisingly, the kids were better behaved the rest of the week.

So yesterday came as a relief. I got to watch Michigan WIN (yes WIN!), relaxing in my room while the kids cleaned rooms and Annie caught up on laundry. I joined in the organizational fray once the Wolverines were wrapping it up, putting up a new shelf in Preston's room. For a sort of fun family day, and as an early birthday present for Pres, we planned a lunch at his choice of restaurant, swimming and diving at the rec center pool, trip to Dairy Queen, and we'd let the kids "make" dinner at home later that night. Training Table was the restaurant of choice. For the non-Utahans, it's a sit down burger joint, where you order from a telephone at the table. It reminds me of Russ' as a kid, or Mr. Burger in terms of food. So we had big sloppy burgers and some great cheese fries.

The pool we go to has a diving board and high dive, so we had fun challenging each other to jump, twist, and dive. I burned some of those fries off swimming laps and chasing the kids around the shallow play pool. A few minutes in the hot tub and sauna completed the therapy, and it was off to DQ for treats.

Dinner was stir fry, with the kids acting as wait staff and serving us plates and drinks. Pretty funny. They did a good job. We were then treated to a "concert" - the kids trying their best to sing or lip sync High School Musical songs - or worse, this "Naked Brothers Band" that Preston likes - and faking the keyboard and drums. An entertaining half hour show, and we captured it on video. Miraculously, the kids were in their beds by 7:30 and Annie and I finally got some peace and quiet. But the busy day and pool exertion had bested me, and I was dozing on the couch myself by 8:30.

Today, everyone was up early. I woke up to the sound of Preston running the bath, and seemingly making as much noise as possible. Zoey followed by entering our room to tell us that Preston was splashing water all over the bathroom. Half of Zoey's life is spent asking to have what Preston has, or do what Preston's doing, or telling on Preston if he's doing something naughty or which she wishes she could be doing - which are generally the same things.
I'm hoping to catch a little NFL and hit the gym today, and this afternoon we're off to Annie's Mom's for dinner and celebrating Preston's birthday with the fam.

This is the end of a full couple of weeks, filled with last minute dinners, multi-leg trips from work to daycare to gym to Z's dance class to picking up our truck from the shop, frequent tears (Preston tripped me on the stairs!) and protests (No I didn't!), one episode of puking, homework and reading help, play-wrestling that starts with giggles and always, always, always ends with Zoey's tears and Preston's protests (I didn't do anything!).

But I always remember that Annie's been doing this on her own for years, and I compare my responsibilities to those of my last few years as a bachelor in Michigan, and I realize this is right where I want to be. It's family life and it's challenging and fulfilling and we learn something new every day. So that's a snapshot of life as a Stepdad in my house.

Did I mention Michigan actually won?!