Good morning, good morning, good morning!

The weekends are starting to feel like that 30-minute lunch we got as teachers. Where you’re trying to decide whether you want to copy materials and prep for the next period, go to the bathroom, or sit down and enjoy your lunch. But you only get to choose one. You can’t do all three.

In any case, it’s Monday again.

This weekend, we had pretty decent weather. Thankfully.

I told Ankur it was the last weekend before the temperatures started plummeting and we needed to do something about our winter wear. (Or lack thereof). But again, I was torn between enjoying the last weekend of pretty good weather or be a good little bear and prepare for hibernation.

Tough decision.

Well, on Friday, Auntie Bella wasn’t able to come be with us. So trying to be with Ishu and also do my meetings and evaluations was quite the balancing act.

Our house was definitely a disaster by the end of the day. Dried pasta thrown all over the living room floor, bowls of water emptied onto our kitchen floor. And Ishu definitely managed to pee on our bedroom floor.

To add fuel to the fire, Ankur was doing an overnight shift. Which meant I was on my own with Ishu for the rest of the evening. Thankfully, he was real tired (probably from not napping) and fell asleep by 6:30pm. (I followed shortly after).

It’s no joke that toddlers need your 100%. At least my toddler does. You can’t half-ass it with him. He’ll sense it and do something to make sure you know that he needs your undivided attention.

By the time the day was over, I breathed a sigh of relief. I have never earned my weekend more.

On Saturday morning, Ankur got back from work and the three of us met Mecca at the farmer’s market in Lincoln Park.

We didn’t stay for very long. It was extra windy and cold if we weren’t directly in the sun. So we power walked through the whole market, picked up some pastries, and then decided to go to a breakfast place around the corner called Nookies.

Since it was a spontaneous trip, we didn’t bring along the diaper bag (which I left in the trunk of our car). The diaper bag has all the things that entertain Ishu while we’re out to eat. His buckle pillow, his busy board, his pop-its. Fortunately, the waiter brought over our glasses of water before we even sat down.

And ice really keep Ishu entertained.

Between that and his food, Ishu was a delightful breakfast companion. (It helps that he was restrained in the high chair, ha).

When we got home, Ankur and Ishu napped and I got some work in (and finished reading this book. It was pretty good. I also love Jodi Picoult. I did feel like the ending was rather abrupt, but still, worth the read and interesting to think about).

But, no nap for me meant that I was ready for bed real early. And I passed out on the couch shortly after Ishu fell asleep for the night.

Sunday, I took Ishu to the park in the morning. Then when he went to nap, I DID go to Costco and I DID get some winter gear. Like a champ.

I also got a few groceries for the week. After putting those away, we got the living room ready for a pumpkin painting party! (We just moved the couch and extended our kitchen table to give us more room to paint).

Mecca and Rahul came over with pumpkins and paint and we got to work.

I finally decided on making a Cookie Monster pumpkin. The real test was whether Ishu would be able to TELL that it was Cookie Monster. And, upon one glance, he smiled real big and said, “DOOTIE MAWNA.”

Which means I’m pretty much an artist.

The eyes have fallen off a few times since last night. But that just makes Ishu giggle. So it’s both decoration AND entertainment.

Wham bam.

And now we’re here, in our messy living room, ready to get our day started.

No Bella, no meetings, but I’m not even going to attempt the balancing act. He’ll get my full attention and, when he naps, I’ll get some work done.

FINE, ISHU. YOU WIN.

MY BOSS IS AN 18-MONTH OLD AND I GUESS I’LL REPORT TO HIM ‘TIL THE DAY I DIE.

Happy Monday to you. Hope your bosses are nicer than mine.

Questions of the Day:

What was the highlight of your weekend?

Are you a pumpkin painter or a pumpkin carver? Or a pumpkin eater?