I didn’t have a chance to post yesterday, so I’ll take this moment to run through a quick update on the weekend. First off, Saturday night was one of the worst ones I’ve had in a looong time. I was so wiped from the day that at 1015pm I decided to take a bath and go to bed. Of course, before I was done, Kyle started whimpering/whining/crying… and didn’t stop until 130am!! That’s how long it took to calm him down and get him to fall back to sleep. The reason?? Unknown. And then… Charlize took over. She woke up and wailed from 130am until 330am. Reason? Probably teething, with a touch of gas… but who knows for sure? And then, it was 6am and time to get up.
I had such a massive headache that I had to pop some migraine advil gelcaps just to be functional. A quick breakfast and rush get-ready hour later and I had everyone packed in the car and heading off for Kyle’s swimming lesson. This week, I wasn’t going to go in with Charlize and would instead enjoy watching him. A few blocks later, i realize I forgot the camera and turn around. No problem, still enough time. We get to the pool at 815am – plenty of time for the 830am class. As we’re getting out of the car… I realize NO ONE brought in the bag. No change of clothing, no diapers, no snacks, and no towel. And absolutely no time to go back and get it. After a morning of hell, it was (literally) crushing to me to be missing out on something I’d been looking forward to all week. So, since I had to get James and Melyssa back to laval by 10am (a point which I had been warned/advised only about… ooh, I don’t know, 15 times already ferchristsakes) I decided to just take them back then.
I get them back by a little after 830am all the while Kyle crying that he wanted to go swimming. And then, we get there and James asks me to wait because he had to get something really quickly. I figure it’s a card since tomorrow’s my birthday and I won’t see them again until the following weekend (and besides, Melyssa gave me her card that morning) and he shows up… with an Almond chocolate bar. “With my non-existant allowance, this was all I could get you,” he shrugs. And again I’m reminded how none of the money I shell out to his mother every month actually goes to them.
Kyle, Charlize, and I head back home and I’m dying for a coffee. Kyle asks if we can get “mini donuts” and I decide to pick up a couple. Guilt? Perhaps. But going on less than 4 hours of sleep does not make it easy for me to think logically – especially with an emotional hole in the pit of my stomach.
The coffee helped as did a bigger breakfast. And after some time outside, the kids went down for their naps which also helped. So, the afternoon turned out to be a much nicer one with a quick shopping stop to get some food items and flowers 🙂
And then, it was off to the airport for what seemed an excruciating wait while Chantale came through the gate!
Sleeping on the drive to the airport
Is she here yet? Is she here yet?
I had to keep Kyle entertained by getting him to play “spot the Pilot” which he thoroughly enjoyed – especially when they would come out wearing their hats 🙂 Not soon enough, Chantale came out and Kyle ran to her holding a bouquet of roses for her. Too bad I wasn’t quick enough to capture that moment but I believe it will stay with me forever 🙂 Lots of kisses and snuggles followed for all of us but this was the best pic I got:
My favorite ladies reunited 🙂
3 times 4 stems of mini roses
After saying hello/good-bye to everyone else, we finally headed home (but not before making Chantale tear up at the numerous Mother’s Day cards she got – especially the one from Charlize to her 😉 )
And now, for those who were wondering what “surprise” I was keeping from posting on Saturday, it was this. For Mother’s Day, we got Chantale a Magnolia bush! A good 90 minutes of digging through clay and rocks on Saturday ended with a beautiful addition to our front yard 🙂 I’m thrilled to say that Chantale absolutely loved it!
Kyle by the Magnolia tree
Melyssa showing the tree’s height in ground
At home, I made my lovely wife a nice Mother’s day supper consisting of Chicken stuffed with portobello mushrooms and provolone, rice, asian spring vegetables, and wine. After the kids were in asleep, we just relaxed together and caught up. It was absolutely wonderful to have her back home 🙂