Anyone who has had the experience of studying for and subsequently taking the bar exam, and anyone who has supported someone through said experience can tell you what a beast that thing is, so I won't bother going into all that here, I'll just set this quaint little backdrop for the anecdote I'm about to share:
We have hardly seen James in weeks. Months, at this point. He's technically here, and we do get glimpses of him now and again - when he emerges onto the porch for a light breakfast before going for a short run (followed by a cool down walk with the dog, who ADORES this new routine) and a brief shower before hunkering down for the day. He alternates between sitting in the glider in the corner of our bedroom and standing at a makeshift "standing desk" involving a stack of random stuff on a table, the height of which is just variable enough to go from fully upright to doing a sort of horse stance - all this to give his body some variation and exercise during the 12 or so hours during the day that he spends studying.
Unfortunately for his concentration, this routine means we know exactly where he is if we need to bug him about something, but we have been making a genuine effort not to abuse the power...he'll join us for a brief lunch and again for dinner, and will usually take at least a little break in the evening to play with the kids, who are so good and patient and understanding about the whole thing, but also really miss their Baba. At least his proximity means that he IS there if any of us really need him - like the time a few weeks back where Hazel tripped in just the wrong place and gave herself a pretty impressive black eye.
Anyway, because he's so crazy busy, its been back to the faux single parenting thing for me. Granted, I have mom around this time since she's unable to work at the moment, and that is a HUGE help, but it isn't quite the same...And though she sometimes fools me into forgetting what she's going through because she's so incredibly strong, she IS still in the middle of going through Chemo - and she has a broken sternum, to boot...
So, nearing my third trimester while chasing my precariously precocious 2 and 5 year olds around day and night, trying to make the most of a summer on a shoestring budget (yay for lots of crafts mom has leftover from Kelly & me!) amidst everything else I have been attempting to do has left me a bit exhausted.
There are some (albeit, very few) times when the girls will be playing well enough together that, if I simply can't make it, I can let them know that I need to nap on the couch for a few minutes and they can manage not to get into too much trouble. This afternoon, however, was NOT one of those times.
Today, I just crashed. I was so tired I slumped over on the couch and dozed off without meaning to...mom was home, but not right there, and I could still hear chatter and such, so I thought I was ok anyway and didn't immediately rouse myself...but then I heard mom say, "Ooops ooops ooops!" and opened my eyes to see her swooping towards Hazel, who was standing less than a foot from my head, completely silent, every bit of exposed skin on her upper body - hands, arms, face, even her hair -completely coated in a body butter one of mom's friends had left for her. "Lotion!" Hazel giggled, clearly delighted with her handywork.
And that is how the bar exam lead to my two year old getting into a perfectly classic mess.
Lotion indeed, my girl. Lotion, indeed.
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