Individual Parenting

When you don't parent full time with a partner, it can be frustrating.  Yes, parenting full time WITH a partner can be frustrating as well.  But I feel like I have less control over the things I don't want my kids doing or exposed to when they are not in my care.  And there's just nothing I can do about it.  I cannot control the way Joe runs his household.  I can talk to him about the things I think are inappropriate that he allows our children to do in his care but that only goes so far.

For example, the other night the kids were complaining about how they were SO TIRED in school and how they almost fell asleep in class!  I said "why are you guys so tired?"  Their response "we were up late watching The Matrix with daddy".  Really?  The Matrix.  Not exactly a movie for kids.  Not to mention staying up late on a school night to watch it.  Do I have any control over this?  No.  No I do not.

Or how he let them watch the whole first season of "The Walking Dead" on Netflix.  Then Jillian would come to my house and be too scared to go to bed alone, crying and everything, because she was scared "zombies were going to get her".  Thanks Joe.

How many conversations have I had with Joe already about the inappropriate things he let's the kids watch?  A few.

I love when I see them on a weekend and they announce "Guess what we had for breakfast!  DONUTS!!"  Yay.  Sugar and fat and sugar.  That's so healthy of you guys.

Joe probably has his complaints about me as well.  Like, how I let Jillian eat her own weight in bacon.  For anyone that doesn't know, Joe doesn't eat pork and it was a rule of his that our kids don't eat pork either.

It's weird for me to think that my kids are having two different upbringings.  "Daddy's" house and "Mommy's" house.  But look, they are not in any physical danger so I can only hope that they grow up with some fond memories of both.

"Hey Jill, remember that time that Dad let us drink beer before our 8th grade dances?  Ha, that was awesome."  "Yeah, Mom blew her lid when she found out."

Lame!

Wow, I have really been neglecting my blog.  I know you guys are probably just DYING to know what's going on in my little corner of the universe.

Well, let's see, this blog hit it's 2 year anniversary!  I can't believe I launched it two years ago already.  Happy Anniversary completedebbiness!

Also, I surpassed the 100 post mark.  As I've mentioned before, I read a lot of blogs and other people make a big deal out of milestones like this.  I have shared over 100 thoughts/comments/feelings/rants/emotions/crack pot ideas/etc already.  Congrats to you, my readers, for reading them all!

I reached my 15 year anniversary at work.  WOW!  When the heck did that happen?

This week marks one whole year since "the separation".  Hard to believe, right?  One whole year already.  It's been a roller coaster of emotions but I feel like I am finally getting back to myself.  I don't even know if it's me.  I haven't seen this person in so long I thought she didn't exist anymore.  I've been enjoying spending time by myself.  Spending time with friends.  Trying to be the best single Mom I can be.  And I know this is a sensitive subject but I've even been dating.  Sort of.  There's really only been one person.  Off and on.

Christmas was certainly different for me this year.  Joe wasn't there when I opened presents with the kids.  I didn't even cook.  We ordered Chinese.  I went out with my friend Christmas evening.  First time in my life I went partying on Christmas.  I have mixed emotions about it.  It was fun but sad at the same time.  But let me tell you, there were a lot of people out Christmas night!

New Year's was the same.  Went out with my friend.  Was home and in bed before 1am.

I've really been itching to travel lately.  I want to go out of the country for the first time in my life.  I've been thinking London.  Maybe Ireland.  Who's coming with?