My Divided Attention

I tend to be a bit irked when someone is texting in the middle of a conversation or anything that can be a rude interruption. Even with children, it's important that I teach Addison patience and waiting until someone is done speaking before chiming in. I expect her to say, "Excuse me," and to wait until I'm finished [unless there is an emergency, of course!] if I ask her to do so as opposed to the classic, "Mom ... mom ... mom? MOM!"

Unfortunately, I am often a culprit of my own despised tendencies. Especially on Thursdays. Thursdays are pretty heavy. This is the one day a week that the two infant boys I watch over lap for about 4 hours. 4 hours with two sleepy infants, no big deal! Wrong. This is a very big deal. These boys somehow banded together, after some "glooble" and "mmmgoo" sounds at each other, to poop at the same time, get hungry at the same time and sleep at the same time. This is a really intense process while I take care of what and have to keep the other, very impatiently, waiting. At the same time, I have Addison running a madhouse with her friends as if their soul purpose is to remove each toy, from stuffed animal to every individual block, from their peaceful and neat place in the playroom .. to.the.floor. And yes, even on Thursdays we do playdates, both babies and all! My rule of thumb is no one is to expect me to go out on a Thursday unless we've got moderate sunny day temperatures. I will pull the ol' double stroller with a baby strapped to my chest for those days, otherwise there is no way I will subject myself to the endless sweat of hauling 3 kids (total of about 60+lbs not including the stroller). I'm all for guests. 

That is where some inner conflict arises, though. As much as I dislike cutting off conversations and texting during conversations and so on, I have mommy's rightfully texting to check in on their babies and extra kids in the house means extra disagreements, extra booboos and extra messes. Needless to say, I immediately find myself apologetically excusing myself while I tend to someone or texting away lovely stories of the day to moms eager to get out of work for time with their little boys. And so divided attention but be given way at times to suite the needs of those IN need. Nonetheless, surround yourself with loving and understanding friends like mine! When you'e in the middle of a story you've tried tell three times already, (and let's face it, it's not even a long or very interesting story, especially the third time around but at this point we all become determined to finish the darn thing!), and the phone buzzes away, you look at your friend, spit out the expected apologies, text away - don't worry. There are no hurt feelings, finish that story and take a good look around ... because you've got a lot of cleaning to do this afternoon, hehehe. :)