How the Other Half Loves

So . . . uh . . . yeah. I've been a little busy lately.

I decided to get involved in a show. It sort of came to me, actually, I didn't go looking for it.

I was flattered when the director asked me to read for a part and then told me that he didn't really have anyone else in mind and would I take it? Oh really?? How could I refuse? Couple that with the fact that I absolutely ADORE the other cast members and the rehearsal period was just three weeks long . . . well, it seemed like an easy decision.

However, things haven't always been so easy throughout the process.

I need to remember that it really sucks being involved in a show at the start of the school year. I did manage to spend a lot of time with Audrey . . . going to her 1st grade orientation and walking her into the building the first full week of school . . . but I still feel like I'm missing out on something. Not sure what, but there must be something.

But kids are resilient. They haven't complained one bit. I think the person who has been hardest hit is Curt.

He's been Mr. Mom these past couple of weeks and he's been great about it. I know he's bored out of his mind and his patience is thinner than the thinnest thread at the moment . . . but he deserves a ton of praise.

The other night Vivian bawled for over 30 minutes straight. About something stupid. I wasn't there but it had something to do with washing her hands. I'm sure she wanted to do it "by myself." [Awww . . . remember when she used to say "me do it?" I do.] I even heard her cries over the phone when I called on my break. Curt decided to just let her go until she could get over herself. She's a tenacious one, though. She can hang with the best of them. I guess she managed to pull herself together eventually and take a bath. Thank goodness Audrey was a relative angel that night.

Although the next morning, Audrey gave us a good showing. She was in TEARS because the school lunch for the day was ravioli. And didn't we realize that she DOESN'T . . . LIKE . . . RAVIOLI??!!! This of course happened at the precise time we were loading into cars to head out (already about 10 min. behind mind you). I threw a granola bar in her backpack and told her to eat that along with the roll, green beans and milk that came with the ravioli and she would be fine. No go.

I won't go into detail but the next few moments involved more tantrum-like activity, some raised voices, a brief time-out and Mommy throwing together a packed lunch while Daddy stood there perplexed that I was giving in to her tantrum. I didn't give in, you see. She promised she would eat the hot lunch tomorrow, she apologized for her behavior and she lost her allowance for this week (unless she can figure out a way to earn it back). My goal was to try to keep the peace so that we could all get out of the house and go on with our day.

But I digress.

My point of all this is that Curt and I have totally different styles. And usually, I'm around to be the buffer. I can't help but think that the girls are getting an incredible service done to them by spending this much time with their Daddy. I know it's WAY more one-on-one time than I ever got with my own Dad. It's a beautiful thing. And Curt is a GREAT Dad. So . . . I'm doing them a favor giving them this time together without my influence. Right? RIGHT??? [Please say I'm right . . . please. Shut up.]

So, I'm doing this show and it's a real hoot. The cast is terrific and I get to take out all of my frustrations of the world on my show husband. I literally attack him with a soup ladle and stick his head in a sink full of water . . . among other things. Just like a typical evening in the Waugh household. Ha.

I will be happy when the rehearsals are over and I get my weeknight evenings back again. I DO miss them.

And how did Audrey's lunch go, you ask?? Well, it turns out that after seeing the hot lunch that day, Audrey DOES like Ravioli. "I was thinking about something else," was her remark to me.

Oiy!