Valentine's Day

The first time Kevin ever got me flowers was for Valentine’s Day in 1995. Although we met in September 1994, we were both so slow in sharing our true feelings for each other. I knew how he felt after he sent me flowers when I wasn’t expecting them. I thought for sure they were for one of my college roommates, who had been dating her boyfriend for what seemed like years but, no, they were for me! And, 12 years later, he continues to do things that are unexpected.

Being that we now have our lovely Harmon, I asked that he please not do anything for Valentine’s Day. And, I was serious in this request. I mean, it’s not like we have a money tree growing in the back yard! And, if we did, I wouldn’t still be paying on loans from my MBA program! I simply thought we could go to dinner (with Harmon, of course) or get some take-out from one of our favorite restaurants. Of course, Kevin had other things in mind.

On Saturday at noon, FedEx pulls up in front of our house and Kevin tells me to answer the door because it’s my early Valentine’s Day present. Much to my surprise, it was a CRAZY DELICIOUS Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake straight from the Cheesecake Factory (and, by the way, metro Detroit, get your act together and get a Cheesecake Factory around here)! We first had this glorious dessert a couple of years ago when were on vacation in DC. We were there one week and either dined in or got take-out that involved Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake FOUR TIMES! If you haven’t had it before, you MUST try it. I’m not a huge fan of cheesecake in general but this stuff is truly sinful!

As if that wasn’t enough, yesterday I got a call from the front desk at work saying that flowers had just been delivered. When I went down to get them, the card read “From your boys! Love, Kevin and Harmon.” There were six beautiful read roses that adorn my desk and make it a little easier to be there this week!

And, to top it off, Kevin left work early, swooped Harmon up from day care and brought home delicious take-out from our new favorite Chinese restaurant (it’s been a long, hard search), Middle Kingdom.

So, overall, a pretty good Valentine’s Day! The best thing, though, for the both of us, was the Valentine that little Harmon made for us at day care! (above) It was waiting for Kevin when he picked him up and then Kevin re-planted it just under his Bundle Me so it was front and center when I peeled it back to give Harmon the one million hugs and kisses he gets when I get home. It was the sweetest, cutest thing I had ever seen and, although he really had no idea what he was doing, it was the nicest Valentine I had ever gotten. Just looking at those little handprints melted my heart! I am such a sucker for this kid.

Tough week

This past Monday, I went back to work. After being off with Harmon for three magical months, I finally had to crawl out of bed with him, take a shower and join the working world again (albeit 80 percent time instead of full time). Although there were some long days early on, those three months went by WAY TOO FAST! And, as Monday, Feb. 6 (ironically, my Mom’s birthday) approached, I was miserable – crying at no particular time for no particular reason. Although Kevin and I have worked out a pretty good schedule, day care still is involved. Here is how our week worked (and will work) for the foreseeable future:

Monday
Kevin worked from 7 a.m. until noon and I worked from 12:30-5:30 p.m. So, Harmon was with at least one of us the whole day. On Monday, Kevin spent six hours with Harmon – the most time he’s ever spent with him alone. As I left for work that day, Kevin said dinner would be ready when I came home. I laughed! Little did he know! Of course, when I got home, there was no dinner. Not that I cared, it just was funny!

Tuesday
We both worked 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. so it was off to dreaded day care for Harmon. We decided to both go to drop him off the first day and I managed to hold it together – for a while. The teacher was alternating between giving me hugs and Kleenex all the while promising that she would take care of Harmon as if he were her own. Everyone was very nice and they encouraged me to call later and get updates (which I did). And, of course, Harmon was all smiles. He has no idea about strangers yet! So, we got up the courage to leave and I didn’t even make it out of the center before losing it. I cried for a good, long while and as I got to work, I was happy about my new, earlier start time as no one would see how good I didn’t look. Although I felt incredibly guilty AND like I was the worst mother in the world, the day wasn’t as bad as I expected – until my phone rang at 5 p.m. It was the day care center telling me that Harmon had just awoken from his nap and he wasn’t happy. Furthermore, he was out of bottles (I had packed him three six-ounce bottles). OK, he’s three months’ old and a very good eater and, at home, he can eat five ounces and go three hours between feedings or six ounces and go four hours. As long as he is having his last bottle around 10 p.m., we’re happy! So, we fed him five ounces at 6:30 a.m. thinking he would eat again at 9:30 a.m. After that feeding, he would eat around 1:30 p.m. and then again at 5:30 p.m. – just before I came to get him. I guess that’s not the schedule day care had in mind! They started off well with him eating at 9:15 a.m. but then he proceeded to gorge himself on Enfamil lattes (must give credit to my Mom for this one) at 12:15 p.m. and 2 p.m. MY GOD! Let’s do the math, people – that’s 23 ounces of formula in eight hours – roughly three ounces an hour! JESUS! You would think that would be enough but, no, when I left work immediately to go get him, he was ready for more. By the time we got home, he was in a full-blown fit, that is, until another six-ounce bottle appeared! So, minus, the gorging, the first day of day care went OK.

Wednesday
We both work 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. but, but, Harmon is with my Mom. She came over today to watch him, which is enough in itself, but she brought banana bread for breakfast, chicken soup for lunch and lasagna for dinner! And, even though I told her no cleaning was allowed, I’m not sure she can control herself! Having Harmon with my Mom is the best thing in the world! After all, she did a decent job with me, right?

Thursdays
Kevin will work 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. (his usual late Thursday) and I will work 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Harmon again will be at day care so hopefully we can get this bottle thing under control!

Fridays
Kevin has a regular 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. day and I AM OFF WITH MR. MAN! I cannot wait for Friday so I can snuggle and play with my boy! If he thought he was tired after day care, wait until Friday night!

Overall, I think this deal can work. I know it will get easier (can someone tell me when?) and it will be good for all of us to get on some type of schedule. And, one day, when Harmon is in school and it’s not cool to hang out with Mommy anymore, I’ll need to be my own person again, blah, blah, blah. Plus, when it comes right down to it, we can’t afford for me not to work so we’ll all just have to suck it up. Whatever the little man requires is what we’ll do!