Those Other Sweet Moments

So I wrote about those sweet kid moments you want to bottle up for forever. Mispronounced words where you would murder someone if they taught your kids the right way. The complete empathy they can show. The sneakiness that makes you just laugh. It’s intoxicating. But you know what else is intoxicating? Those minutes you escape being a parent. Sometimes they are few and far between but I thought about this yesterday morning as I started on a run. Those first few steps and that swamp -level air drowns your lungs (it’s summer in the south people…take what you can get). Those steps are therapy to me. One, I pat myself on the damn back for crawling out of bed at 5:30 after we stayed up watching OITNB til too late.But it is really about being utterly alone except the ballsy rabbits who dart in front of me and the mosquitos on my shoulders. Ahhhhh ::scratch scratch scratch:: Anyway, it made me think of all those little treasures. The rare morning you get to drive to work with no kids in the car and listen to filthy lyriced rap songs. Target. Icee. Shopping for leggings or makeup or sandals or LEGOS BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Gettin_weird._Not_sure_when_Jalen_Rose_found_time_for_Jedi_training. The day your kid throws a book at you and screams he hates you and then you put them to bed early and go swimming for relaxing and probably a little spite. When you hide in the pantry and eat marshmallows with a stealth reserved for Navy seals. When your husband willing takes your kids out of town for the weekend and you can do WHATEVER YOU WANT. (spoiler alert: this happened and it was one of the most amazing things ever. Forget birthday presents, ask for this ladies. Oh god it is spectacular) I_ve_been_going_full_speed_since_7_am._This_will_work. When you wake up early for who-knows-why and you get to sit in a quiet house before the family gets going. After a morning that leaves you feeling defeated and exhausted by 8:30 am and you just sit in your desk chair for a minute and stair into space and breathe. Summer_hair_now_includes_washing_at_night_because_of_swimming._My_hair_has_never_liked_this_but_then_I_remembered_sleeping_in_a_French_braid_and_BAM. Getting ready without anyone under your feet or waiting on you to get them ready. Those Sunday afternoons that you realize you don’t have homework or have to study for a test for the week. I know this isn’t a parent thing but that feeling is so glorious. So what are your favorite kid free moments?

2 thoughts on “Those Other Sweet Moments

  • June 16, 2014 at 2:51 pm
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    As of late, the only time we are kid-free is if we have something pre-planned, whether it’s a date night or wedding or a kid’s soccer game. But yesterday my in-laws took both kids to lunch and to the store to pick out a toy. And it was freaking heaven. I almost didn’t know what to do with myself because it’s been so long since I’ve had that freedom. But I painted my toenails in peace, without a million questions. I ate my own lunch, without sharing. AND dessert. I even took a 15 minute nap. That shit never happens. It was short, but enough to re-set my parenting patience, as pathetic as that sounds!

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  • June 17, 2014 at 10:34 am
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    I can’t tell you the number of times that I’ve driven to work without the radio on . . . just because silence had been sorely lacking in my life. And the number of times that I’ve added a mile or two to a run, because, dammit, it’s going to be a little bit before I’m ready to head back into the fray.

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