A Spring Break

This week the local schools are closed for Spring Break which means that our daycare is also closed and Jake and I are alternating time off from work. Since this is our second Spring Break as parents, I feel like we should know the ropes a bit better this year. Unfortunately, we don't. In my mind, Spring Break still means being half naked on a beach somewhere chugging beer bongs and taking long afternoon naps in the sun. But in reality, Spring Break now means chasing after the tot while attempting to work from home because, let's face it, I only use my PTO hours when absolutely necessary.

 Unfortunately for everyone involved, our sitter has been closed for 11 business days (all for personal reasons that we completely understand). With no family close by, this means that Jake and I have each been working crazy hours and tag teaming parenting the best we can. Thankfully, my mom (who is a school counselor) was off a few days last week which meant we were able to ship the tot to their house for the better part of the week. As most kids tend to do, Taylor had an awesome time with her grandparents. She let us know how awesome by screaming the entire way home Sunday evening and being a whiny, no-nap-taking mess since she's been home. Yesterday was Jake's day to stay home from work with her, and I was more than happy to slide out the front door as she screamed bloody murder at 7:00 a.m. Unfortunately, today is my turn, but she's been much better this morning and is actually napping now (which is all that really matters). So here I sit, half-working, half-folding laundry, and half-blogging on my "day off." Funny how that phrase used to mean something so very different.

Since I've had all of this extra time off, I've come to realize that as the parent of a young child, vacations and "time off" don't really exist. Any time taken off work is due to the closure of daycare or someone's illness (usually Taylor first and then myself a few days later). By the time Jake and I take time off work for those things, we aren't left with any time to actually take a trip for ourselves. And it sucks. Just add this to that long list of stuff that no one ever tells you before you have children. 

On the positive side, we were able to make an unexpected trip to my hometown and spend the weekend with my side of the family. And to make it even better, the weather was phenomenal! Mother Nature was definitely feeling the first day of Spring! Taylor had a blast riding her new tricycle (another fabulous hand-me-down from my sister's 4 children) and swinging in her swing out on my parents' deck. We made it a whole family affair by grilling out at my sister's house late Saturday afternoon. The kids rode bikes, scooters, and 4-wheeler's around the yard, playing outside as long as possible. We ended the evening by throwing the three little ones (Taylor and her twin cousins) in the bathtub together which always provides for some good entertainment. A weekend like that is truly good for the soul. 

I guess overall I can't be too upset about all of my time off work lately. Taylor and I have had a chance to do things that we never get to do together during the week, like spending the morning playing at the park, having lunch dates with daddy, going for long afternoon walks, and playing the entire day. 

 She may drive me absolutely crazy at times, but being with her really is my most favorite thing in the world.  Perhaps the past couple of weeks is exactly what we needed.