Partners and parents.

Awake again at 1am and nowhere near tired. That's what happens when you sleep all day.

I think my first foray out of bed was at 3 pm today. I did not stay out long. Then again for dinner with my parents and the kidlets. That was about an hour.

I am not taking any pain meds today to see how I do. So far I am only very tired with mild discomfort.

I have my man home tonight. He smells good as he lies next to me. Like dove soap and man scent.

He's not a cologne type of guy but he usually smells nice. Clean. Unless he's just come from a fire call. Then he smells like ass. And not just any ass. It's definitely bunker gear, thick sweat mixed with acrid smoke smell that is so cloying strong it can make a grown man weep. And yes they do wash that stuff. It doesn't do any good.

For those of you with hockey reference think of your gear bag left next to a punky wood campfire for a weekend. Yeah, you're starting to get it now.

Tomorrow I want to get up and move around more. It's my goal for week two of recovery. To build strength and stamina.

I'm finally feeling a little less flighty. My attention span is getting longer.

Did I mention I'm glad the man is home? I do alright without him here but it is reassuring when he's in the bed next to me. Even if he can drive me a little crazy when he is home.

The kids and I have fallen into a good routine with him coming and going all the time. We definitely have a different life when he is here vs when he is not. The kids get a little more leeway when it's just me.

I think those studies were spot on-- those with a strict upbringing tend to go softer and those with a loose upbringing go harder. Makes me laugh that Mr. Anti establishment Punk boy is the hardass now. And his kids give it right back to him. Oh they know how to push each other's buttons.

I can't wait for the teen years!

Oh on the important stuff we stick together. And we both try not to undermine each other's authority. If he makes a rule, even if I think it's just as stupid as my kids do I still enforce it. Because we gotta stick together. Those kids can smell disharmony and work the angle if not!

And when I throw the gauntlet down, he backs me. Even when he thinks I've gone overboard.

"Will you really take away their birthday?" Yep! Don't believe me? Just let them try to not get their room cleaned up.

"But babe, isn't that irrational?" Nope! They've had weeks of getting privileges like tv taken away by you. Time for the good cop to become the bad cop. And by bad, I mean slightly insane ( yes I'll own it) mother who has reached her limit.

Now you dear reader may ask "but why not keep both of you on them at all times and avoid the flares of crazy that happens for time to time?"

Hahahahhahahhahahaha! Don't make me laugh! If I can't give my kids good material for the shrink then I am not doing my job proper. ( just kidding- kind of)

But really, it's not how I parent. And he knows it. And he puts up with it. Just like I put up with his style. And somehow we're getting it done.

Aaaah! Parenthood. It's the best and worst all mixed up together. But if at the end of the day we are all able to laugh and love each other than I think we must be doing something right.

And that's my primary goal everyday-- to love my family and accept them for all the crazy they bring to my life.

Now I'm going to go try to snuggle my man and delight in the fact he's home. Even if it means that all I can do is hold him tonight and sniff him. (4-6 more weeks of no funny business due to the surgery. Poor guy! Hell! Poor me! )


Good night!