Yesterday, I was hit by a bad flu bug. I spent the whole day mostly lying on the carpet, while the boys played around me, getting up to just cook meals and feed the kids. So I was rather relieved when the hubby offered to take leave today to help out at home. "Hooooray!", I thought. I envisioned sleeping in, and letting the hubby take care of the kids, as well as the meals. All I had to do was nurse the baby, and perhaps the hubby would get a taste of what it was like to juggle the home plus kids.
So I woke up this morning, defrosted baby J's lunch, and helped to prepare breakfast. We all had breakfast. I went off to the kitchen, and came back, and the boys were all sitting there. Or rather, the baby was trying to wreck the cardboard kitchen, Junior J was pottering, and the hubby was doing some cutting. Of his toenails. Hmm.
"How about going for a walk?" I suggested, since it seemed like good weather. Junior J said "NO!" as usual, and the hubby continued with his cutting. After some time, he's done with his nails, and manages to convince Junior J to go out. He gets the boys dressed, and they head out.
The pile of breakfast things are sitting on the table staring at me, so I clear them, thinking I can nap after that. 5 minutes later, the boys return. It's started to rain. I remind hubby about preparing lunch, and retreat for a nap.
I fall asleep for something like 15 minutes when the hubby is back. Baby J wants to feed. So I feed baby and he conks out... only to wake when he's done feeding. So I go out to hand the baby over. Its 25 minutes to lunch, and there's no food in sight. Thus far, he's taken out an egg and a clove of garlic and placed it on the counter. I ask, and the hubby says he will only cook just right before lunch, or the food will be cold. Baby J is grumpy (he's also sick) and starts to cry. I pass baby over and end up cooking tagliatelle for lunch, and preparing the baby's meal.
We have lunch. I end up feeding baby J, who hasn't been very co-operative at meals. The hubby gives Junior J a bath... and later, I finally get to nap while baby J naps. Thankfully, the hubby helped to cook the soup, and I finish with dinner prep.
Today I was reminded about our roles. How we're suited for them. And how we complement each other, but as individuals are indispensable in the family. Its like how the hubby can cook, but only when he can slowly mess about with the food and experiment with tastes. He's not one built for cooking speed, while carrying a baby and answering the questions of a 3 year old. I may be a lousy cook, but at least I manage to put the meals on the table, more or less on time.
I am thankful that we're different, and equipped to fulfil our roles in the family. He is the walking animal encyclopedia, the one that dispenses random facts at will. While Mama's the one with a brain like a sieve (pregnancy does that to you, and worse if its two!).
I'm thankful that we each have our strengths and passions. The hubby is good at his work, and gets a great sense of satisfaction when his patients wake up pain-free. He loves his job, so much so that when he holds and looks at my hands, he does not lovingly regard the calluses caused by household chores, but the large veins that would be easy to get a needle into! And as for me, I more or less manage to run the home, albeit a rather messy one, and enjoy being home with the kids.
So Papa can't be Mama, and vice versa. At least that's what today taught me. And meanwhile, while those naps elude me, I'm thankful that the hubby was willing to stay home to help. And at least I have some in-house entertainment from the big boy, who's still relatively cheerful despite being down with the same bug!
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| Giving me a concert while Mama was flat out on the carpet. Please excuse all that laundry that has piled up. That's another ability the hubby has, being blind to the pile of clothes! |
What are you thankful for this week?
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