While the Grandparents Are Away

The parents and baby will play!


Gate placed in hallway

All the breakables out of reach, so the baby can roam

It's been a fantastic six days.  With Bruce's parents away for a week, we've been able to turn this house into our own.  After they left, I immediately set out to babyproof the downstairs.  It didn't take long to move all the breakables and put up barriers so the baby would stay where I can see her.  I was then able to cook lunch while she had some freedom.  It was like a whole new world.

Here are some other luxuries in which we've been able to engage.  If they seem mundane to you, count your blessings.  It's the little things:

- Going down to the basement with no pants on, because they're in the dryer.

- Putting dishes in the sink to wash later, without having to worry that anyone will think you're lazy.

- Having a party on a Friday night with best friends.

- Friends sleeping over: in every bedroom, on the couch, on the floors.  Waking up, having some coffee and chatting, deciding to go out to breakfast.

- Cooking with onions and not chopping them microscopic because someone hates them.

- Parking in the garage.

- All three of us spending the whole day in our pajamas.  (Me not having to wear a bra!)

- Sitting on the couch after the baby's gone to bed, with a beer or two, watching the TV shows we want to watch.

- Talking with your spouse about anything, in any room of the house, with normal volume (as opposed to whispers).

- Doing the same thing as above, but with friends on the phone.

- Playing music loud, singing, and dancing with your baby.

- Not having to wonder whether anyone is in a bad mood.  Or if you might say the wrong thing.  Or do something that will make someone say something rude to you.

- Keeping the thermostat set at a reasonable temperature for a baby in wintertime.

- Kissing, cuddling, laughing, and partaking in general merriment with spouse, because you feel like yourself again.

One more glorious day of this!  Turns out, Bruce's parents going on vacation was a vacation for us, too!