Yesterday’s post for R U OK? Day was, like everyone else who shared a story, a bit confronting to put into writing, but it also gave me the chance to face how it was really hurting me and so I can begin to deal with the problem in a more positive way. Part of that was to take advantage of the holiday house Luke has been living in whilst working away and have a long weekend up there. This is only the second time Skye and I have come up here since the contract began 2 months ago and I hadn’t realised how much it had been getting me down until someone asked me if I was finding it hard looking after things mostly by myself. I have been looking forward to the break all week and was so caught up in the idea of staying by the beach for a few days that I did not put a lot of thought into the almost 3 hour drive I would be making with only myself to keep Skye entertained.
I certainly know a few things today I was blissfully unaware of before making this trip.
- I must be 5 kinds of crazy for thinking I would be able to squeeze a 9:30am spin class in before we started our drive. My grand plan was to have the car largely packed the night before so I could just get myself and Skye fed, dressed and strapped in, do a quick workout while Skye burned up some energy playing with the other kids in the crèche and then jump in the car and be on our way, with Skye sleeping peacefully in the back. CRAZY!
- Toddlers instinctively know if you are on any kind of schedule and will set themselves to super slow motion in a bid to make you have a meltdown before you get into the car. I made my bed 3 times yesterday morning because as soon as I tried to sneak into my bedroom to grab something, she would dart in behind me to start jumping on the bed.
- Packing tried and true snacks to keep said toddler amused during the trip is a waste of time. Skye developed a sudden aversion to every kind of snack I had packed, all of which she happily eats on every other occasion.
- Glancing in the rear vision mirror and seeing Skye had finally fallen asleep was possibly the highlight of the drive. Being stupid enough to take a phone call while she was still sleeping signalled the lowest point.
- Planning a trip around there usual nap time is no guarantee they will fall asleep during a long journey, it is much more fun to sit in the back throwing your toys, blankies, dummies etc on the floor and expecting them to be retrieved instantly, particularly while you are doing 110km/hour along the freeway with no where to pull over.
- I have a new favourite driving song, and I don’t care how crazy I look dancing like Elaine Benice (Seinfeld) when its on.
- The 3 hours of hell journey I endured to get here was totally worth the final destination! The weather is beautiful, I can see the beach at the end of the street and I even have a kookaburra to hang out with when I have my coffee.
