Ode to Single Moms

Poor Kelsey has been sick for the past 3 days.  He spent ALL DAY yesterday in bed and only came out of his room a couple of times today.  And, although I feel bad for him (he really is sick.  This isn't a little cold with him acting like a total wimp.), I can't help but to turn it around and feel really bad for me too.  Kelsey being out of commission means that I was suddenly a single mom to not three, but FOUR children.  Yikes.  How do single moms do it?  Whenever I have days like this, I always think of those super moms out there who have to do this.  Everyday.  It makes me yawn just thinking about it. 

So, yesterday while Kelsey stayed in bed with a fever and chills and aches and sniffles, I went into Super Mom mode.  I kept the kids busy busy busy all day, and we had a really fun time.  The morning was filled with water play at the kitchen sink (they are addicted to this!  Colby especially could do this all day long), painting with their trucks and stamping with cookie cutters, and playing in the playroom.  After a successful morning, I decided to be brave and go on a giant outing.  With all three.  By myself.  We had checked out a pass from the library for free admission to a local children's museum called Imagine Nation.  This was our second time checking it out.  We didn't get to use it the first time because we had a huge snow storm the day we were supposed to go.  I wasn't about to not use it again!  I sat the kids down at lunch and told them my idea.   Then I gave them my pep talk.... I said things such as:  "It's only going to be me...."  "If Max needs milk, we'll all have to take a break together....."  "We have to all stay together the whole time...."  Stella and Colby agreed to the conditions, finished their lunch, and we were off to Imagine Nation. 

It was a fun little place and the kids had a blast.  There was so much for them to do and see.



The kids at their new job for ESPN





Colby's favorite part?  Why, the water play area, of course!



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Dr. Gilmore



The kids were all amazing while we were there.  Even little Max, who was pretty much in the sling the whole time, was so good.  They were all so well behaved that we just HAD to stop for ice cream on the way home (the ice cream was more of a reward for me, but don't tell them!). 

Thankfully, Kelsey is feeling a teeny bit better tonight and will hopefully be closer to normal tomorrow.  I don't know how much longer I can pull this single-mom thing (I even had to break my don't-bring-all-3-kids-to-the-grocery-store-at-the-same-time rule today... ugh!).