Restful

Well, that was fun.

The handyman service I'd hired to replace our cracked bedroom window called Tuesday to say the window was in and could they replace it Wednesday morning? They told me it would take 4-6 hours, so I arranged to work from home Wednesday, which was easy because we're pretty slow at the office this week.

Naturally, taking the old window out let a lot of very cold air in the house, so I spent most of the morning with blue fingernails. But they finished the job in closer to four hours than six, and for a little less than their original estimate, so I guess it's a win. Though it was still way more expensive than I'd originally expected, when I asked them to give me an estimate for the job. Holy crap, but windows are expensive. (Also, they screwed up the blinds when they put them back up. I need to remember to call them today and tell them to come fix it.)

Anyway, I paid the crew and then went to the gym and the grocery store, and I was just getting home and checking my emails when Matt called to tell me that Alex had thrown up at daycare. Twice. In his sleep. So he was bringing the kid home. We worried briefly over various symptoms, and decided we'd wait until Thursday morning to decide if he needed a doctor. So I sent an email to work to let them know I'd be home again on Thursday and, with the kid in tow, I'd be lucky to clock half a day's worth of work, but that I'd at least check emails during his nap so I could review the day's documents.

Alex threw up twice more Wednesday evening, but woke up bright and early and chipper on Thursday. Whatever hit him seemed to have passed. Which was good news (because I really wasn't looking forward to cleaning any more upchuck, even if it was mostly apple juice and water) and also bad news, because he was not content to just sit on the couch and watch TV and let me work, or do much of anything else.

I wound up taking him to Target around mid-morning and letting him run around for the better part of an hour, just to get him out of the house. He was pretty good -- he would pick things up, but put them back when I asked him to. Even toys, he hugged and kissed and said "bye-bye!" before handing them to me to put back on the shelf. (Note to self: seriously, go back and snag a couple of those dollar plushies to save for Valentine's Day.) I managed to lure him into the clothing section long enough to pick up a couple of clearance-rack items for me (and a new pair of gym pants, which were not on clearance, but sorely needed) but mostly we just wandered around, looking at things and playing peek-a-boo-I-see-you around support pillars. It was kind of fun, actually.

Matt came home in the afternoon, but he had more work to do than I did, so I kept being the go-to parent. Just to try to burn off a little of Alex's energy (and give Matt some peace and quiet for half an hour) I took Alex with me to pick Penny up from school. He walked the entire half-mile (ish) from our house to the school (except that I carried him across the busiest road) and somewhere between a third and a half of the distance back home, once we'd collected Penny. It didn't even take the edge off his energy, though. Silly Mommy.

Back home, I juggled the kids, reading to Alex and helping Penny proofread her very first report for school, on wolves. (Consider "report" to be in fingerquotes. It was five sentences, four of which answered very specific questions asked by the instructions. But I guess they've got to start somewhere.) Also, I made dinner and ran to the store for an ingredient that I hadn't realized we were out of. (I sat in the store parking lot in the quiet car and pondered just staying there long enough to take a little nap, if I must tell the truth.)

Since Alex was in fine form all day yesterday, he's back to school today, and I'm back in the office. Thank goodness. This is much more restful.