Mommy Quiet Time

I'm supposed to be checking my bank account online right now but somehow stumbled onto this page instead. See, I'm currently having "Mommy Quiet Time." It's a typical Sunday. We skipped church since Rocco barfed last night and that was a place we didn't want to be if we discovered his stomach bug was still visiting. Instead we decided we needed to run to about 4 different stores to do some last minute shopping before an afternoon birthday party. Oh, and we decided to pick up a sofa too (I know I just blogged about never replacing my crappy furniture, but I did finally find a sofa that I liked that came with a 5 year warrant against stains and tears - ha! I'm testing that one...). Pete took off to work after the furniture store and I took the little boys on the rest of the trips, getting home in time for lunch and a quick nap for Rocco before the party.

Well, that was the plan. Rocco has decided that he doesn't need naps anymore and was giving me hell for having the audacity of putting him in his crib. Basically he screamed and cried at me for 45 minutes while I (being a good mom) worked on Max's spelling words from hell and read to him, all the while ignoring Rocco's tantrum. Pete called to check in and I gave him the status report of what we were doing and how a nap didn't look like it was going to happen...again. Pete swung home to take Max to the party, hoping that Rocco would have given up the fight by then - fat chance! So Pete goes upstairs and rocks Rocco. And then quiet. Seriously? I'm on my second weekend of Rocco refusing to nap and Pete goes up there for 5 minutes and the kid is out. But I am just grateful for the peace. Pete drives Max to the party and tells me that the hosts will drive Max home - the magic words every parent wants to hear! And then Pete says "Now you can have a little quiet time."  The thing is, and moms, you probably know what I'm talking about, there is a tone. A tone that implies I need quiet time. That I can't hack it and it's showing. He sounds like Mick Jagger singing "Mother's Little Helper."

I'm not sure what Pete pictures when he says I now have quiet time. Maybe he thinks I sit around painting my nails or maybe I'm taking a bath. Instead my mind instantly jumps to The List. That list you always have in the back of your head of crap you need to do but never have time to get done. The list of things that you can't do with the kids around or that would go faster without them around. I run upstairs and put laundry away. Rocco stays asleep. I put on a pot of water to make noodles for lasagna. Rocco is still quiet. I iron that stack of clothes that's been sitting in my room for 4 weeks. Quiet. I actually make the lasagna for Tuesday night. Quiet. I fold towels AND put them away - all in the same time frame. Quiet. And now here I sit, about to pay bills but hesitant because my time is fleeting. Any minute that kid is going to wake up and we will be going from 0 - 60 mph in 3 seconds. But I am refreshed, despite not sitting down this whole "quiet time." Because I actually got stuff done that needed doing. I now have the energy to make Thanksgiving decorations with Max when he comes home and will be able to run after Rocco again.

I'm not sure what Pete thinks I do during quiet time, but I'm pretty sure this isn't what he intended. Either way, I'm relatively satisfied. And maybe I'll wait to pay the bills until tonight and enjoy just a few minutes of peace and quiet.