Post Christmas Syndrome

Three days after Christmas.  Three whole days.  Today my tree and other Christmas decorations came down.  I'd like to say I feel happier and more at ease, but that is soooo not the case.  You'd think having that 7.5 foot tall tree that was starting to lean forward ever so slightly, packed up and put away would make me feel a bit less anxious, but that is soo not the truth. 

Still dealing with Christmas dinner left overs, and Christmas dinner dishes (and we didn't even invite family over for Christmas this year and we STILL have too many dishes)! Once it again it also looks like Christmas threw up in my house, got into a fist fight, had a wild tantrum and then stormed out the door.

Now where that big tree stood is a large empty spot in my living room and I haven't a clue what was there before it was "TREE".  Whatever it was, I must have gotten rid of it to make room for the tree.  So I guess it's not a huge loss, but now it just looks so EMPTY there. 

I have chaotic MESS all over my house now.  It looked nice, ish, until I decided to take down all the Christmas stuff this evening.  Why?  Just...why? 

I love Christmas, but I hate the clean up and tear down of it all after Christmas.  I just wish there was a magic wand that could set it all up for me, and then take it all down again when it was time.  Alas, there is no such thing so I have to do it myself.  Well, I DO have jolly little 'helpers'.  My kids do their very very best to help with all things Christmas, and I do appreciate that. Though it can be a wee bit over whelming when they HELP with things.  You never realize how much patience you do NOT have and how big of a control freak you REALLY are until you decide it's a great idea to let your children help.  Then it's grit your teeth and hold your breath and count to ten, and just SMILE and let them help you.  Don't let them see your anxiety raising.  After all, you don't want to discourage them from being helpful little helpers, right?

Today was kind of an exciting day for me.  I started my new job.  It's not really a whole lot different than what I do at home right now.  Catering to a bunch of people who want this, and want that and they want it now and the way they want it and if I don't do it in a timely fashion then there will be consequences of the complaining variety.  Quite similar to being a mom really. 

I have to be at work pretty early (currently I have to be there at 7, but later I will have to be there at 5 or 5:30 in the morning)  Good thin I like mornings. 

However, this also means that the Husband Circus has to wake up and care for the kids, and since they are on Christmas break at the moment he has to STAY awake and feed them, and care for them all on his own...at the butt crack of dawn. 

He's not a morning person.  At all. 

In fact my husband has a sleeping disorder and does NOT sleep well at night, so he sleeps in during the day, which is fine and we have always made it work.  He didn't always have this issue, but he was injured several years ago and has struggled since then. 

Last night I had horrible night mares about all of the terrible things that were going to happen while my husband was in charge while I was at work, so needless to say I did NOT sleep well last night. 

I know my husband is FULLY capable of caring for the kids, but my brain was apparently not so easily convinced.  When our oldest child was born, our daughter, the husband would care for her when I was at work, and I'd care for her when he went to work.  He was always great with her.  However, he hasn't had to do morning child care for MANY years. 

I did wonder if he'd be able to perform to the best of his daddy abilities that early of a morning.  They can be...pretty tough first thing of a morning!

Your eyes are barely open, they are wide awake. 

They want cereal (or better yet, fresh cooked oat meal, not in the microwave) and you are still thinking about coffee and that first drink that you so badly need. 

They are wanting to watch cartoons, and you are still trying to focus on the one kid in front of you not the 4 blurry versions that are in front of your face. 

Not to mention the fact that the dogs need to go out to potty, and the cat is DEMANDING that you feed him right MEOW.  MEOW!! Feed me MEOW DARN IT!! He is a VERY persistent puddy tat. 

At least the other cat isn't so rude.

I must say though that when I got home from work today I was very surprised by what I saw. 

My husband was laying on the floor with the kids building with Lego's with them.  I was mobbed as soon as I walked in the door with hugs and kisses.  They told me all about their day with Daddy.  They watched cartoons, he made them OAT MEAL with scrambled eggs, bacon and toast (and rubbed in the fact that it was a better breakfast than what I make, which is hey look a bowl of cereal, hush up and eat it Mommy needs coffee...)  He even put jelly on their toast. They are totally enjoying having Daddy all to themselves of a morning, and that makes my heart burst with happiness.  They are all four so very adorable together. 

He even had supper in the crock pot.

I didn't even know he knew HOW to work my fancy crock pot.  The recipe was a NEW recipe that he looked up on line even. 

Who is this man and what has he done with my husband? 

In all seriousness, the guy is a great cook, he loves to cook.  He was very proud of himself for working so hard today, and I was proud of him. I knew I married the big lug for a reason.  He's a great guy, and a great Daddy.  He loves our little circus acts as much as I do. I am hoping tomorrow goes as well for him.  I am wondering how long it will take for the kids to get "used" to Daddy being home with them and decide to turn into the holy little TERRORS that they turn into for me on occasion? 

They go back to school soon, so we probably won't get that far.

All my husband will have to do then is make sure they wake up, eat breakfast, get their clothes on, brush their hair and teeth, and get out the door to the bus.  Then he can go back to bed. 

I was all set to actually ACCOMPLISH STUFF when I got home from work, but it didn't happen.  Instead I just made a bigger mess by taking down all of the Christmas stuff.  Yay me! Now I'm too tired to care, and I just want to go to bed now.

The other part of me says "NO! You cannot go to bed and leave your house in an awful state of chaos, you started this, YOU WILL FINISH IT!! Then you can go to bed!! Mommies don't QUIT!" 

Waaaah.  But I wanna quit. I wanna quit and just go to bed.  I don't care that I have stuff to do still.

But I do. 

I want to make things a wee bit easier on the husband tomorrow, which means cleaning up MY mess so he doesn't have to tomorrow while he's caring for the kids.  Because I'm thoughtful like that.  He better never forget how thoughtful I am.

I'm still not going to vacuum.

Mom Circus.