I've had a lot I've wanted to write about the past few days but haven't found the time. I've been busy. I've been playing the role of single parent.
Kelly had the opportunity to travel to Missouri the past couple of days for work, so it's been just me and Kaelyn the past two days. Fortunately we spend enough time alone together that I didn't think it would be a big deal. But the longest we've ever been alone is like 10 hours. So this length of time, sun-up to sundown, has been more involved than I thought. Kelly's on her way home now, and will be here when Kaelyn wakes up in the morning. The past couple of days has got me thinking.
First, I absolutely love spending time with my daughter. She's only fifteen months old, but she has a great sense of humor. No matter how many times she insists on playing with the television [the most consistent cause of corporal punishment] she always comes back with something that cracks me up. Also, she's quite the people person. We ran some errands the past few days and everywhere we went she would interact with people. I went to Bursar office [apparently the place where they take your money] at Xavier today and Kaelyn immediately reached out to the woman helping me with my account. As I paid my bill a group of five people in the office we surrounding Kaelyn amazed at how friendly she was.
In a related note, I'm continually amazed at how people react to a little child. Wherever we go, people smile more at us; whereas I usually start conversations, people will talk to me uninitiated. The premise of the movie Children of Men [still a must rent, if you haven't seen it] was that the world was a darker place without children in it. I guess I never really noticed until it became my child that everyone focused on.
The last inescapable lesson is how incredible my wife is. She does a phenomenal job caring for our little girl. I really didn't drop a Mother's Day post, but I'm always letting my wife know how awesome a mother she is. Before Kaelyn was born, Kelly always wondered if she'd be a good mommy. I knew she'd rock at it. And she does. Thanks, Kel, for being the best mother Kaelyn could ever ask for.
I can't imagine how single parents do it. I guess they just rise up to the call. Those are some incredible people who balance work and family all by themselves.
As for me, I'm looking forward to having Kelly home.