I was home early today, and decided I should cook dinner.
For once.
You know, so I can feel more 'domesticated'.
Most days, I pick up the boys from either my parents house or my inlaws house after work, around 5 p.m. At which point, the boys are starving, and dinner has already been cooked.
But today, since I was home, I thought I'd make chicken and potatoes in the oven. I asked for some help from my Twitter friends, and they reached out to me, offering me advice and suggestions.
Then my husband came home, and, having read my tweets, said:
"Please don't cook. I don't want the kitchen to become a disaster."
Hey - I'm not going to argue with that.
So, we took the boys to the grocery store, and bought the ingredients for spaghetti and meatsauce, as per Christos's request.
Had I still wanted to cook dinner, however, let me tell you the obstacles in the way. (That took place before my husband came home to tell me that I did not, in fact, have to cook.)
But really, someone please explain to me how a mom of two children (or more) can manage to cook dinner if she gets home in the afternoon to two kids, if no one else is home to help out? IMPOSSIBLE, that's what I have to say!
So, here were my obstacles:
"Mommy, come here."
"Christos, don't grab that out of Dimitry's hands - he was playing with it first."
"Dimitry? Dimitry? OMG, Dimitry, how did you make it up that far already? Come back down...oh... you did a poopoo... let's go change you. Christos, I'll be right back!"
"COMING, CHRISTOS!"
"Dimitry, stop moving. Stop moving. Stop. I just want to change your diaper without getting poo all over me!"
"Dimitry look at this, look at this, here's my watch, do you want some chocolate?"
"COMING, CHRISTOS!"
"Okay, Dimitry, let's go to mommy's room, so I can finally change out of my work clothes. Mommy can't keep spending 66 dollars a week getting her pants dry cleaned because of your gooey fingers, you know!"
"COMING, CHRISTOS!"
"Dimitry? Dimitry? Where are you? OMG... come back here, those are stairs you know! STAIRS are dangerous!"
"Dimitry? Dimitry? Where did you go now? Oh! Cute... you're hiding in my closet!"
"Christos, please don't empty those chocolates in the garbage, they are still good."
"Dimitry, let's go wash your hands, you have chocolate all over them."
"No, Dimitry, we don't put our hands IN the toilet..."
"Christos, you can't eat a cupcake now..."
"OH, look at the mess! Let's vacuum. Oh, now you're eating one too, Dimitry?"
"Here's your water, Christos. Here's your water, Dimitry."
"Hey - I have a great idea! Let's organize the toys in the famiily room!"
"Of course I'll play trucks with you, sweetheart! Here Dimitry, you play, too..."
And so, as you can see, it just wouldn't have worked out. Just how was I suppose to peel, prepare, and cook potatoes and chicken in the oven with all that going on?
And that was just the condensed version!
For once.
You know, so I can feel more 'domesticated'.
Most days, I pick up the boys from either my parents house or my inlaws house after work, around 5 p.m. At which point, the boys are starving, and dinner has already been cooked.
But today, since I was home, I thought I'd make chicken and potatoes in the oven. I asked for some help from my Twitter friends, and they reached out to me, offering me advice and suggestions.
Then my husband came home, and, having read my tweets, said:
"Please don't cook. I don't want the kitchen to become a disaster."
Hey - I'm not going to argue with that.
So, we took the boys to the grocery store, and bought the ingredients for spaghetti and meatsauce, as per Christos's request.
Had I still wanted to cook dinner, however, let me tell you the obstacles in the way. (That took place before my husband came home to tell me that I did not, in fact, have to cook.)
But really, someone please explain to me how a mom of two children (or more) can manage to cook dinner if she gets home in the afternoon to two kids, if no one else is home to help out? IMPOSSIBLE, that's what I have to say!
So, here were my obstacles:
"Mommy, come here."
"Christos, don't grab that out of Dimitry's hands - he was playing with it first."
"Dimitry? Dimitry? OMG, Dimitry, how did you make it up that far already? Come back down...oh... you did a poopoo... let's go change you. Christos, I'll be right back!"
"COMING, CHRISTOS!"
"Dimitry, stop moving. Stop moving. Stop. I just want to change your diaper without getting poo all over me!"
"Dimitry look at this, look at this, here's my watch, do you want some chocolate?"
"COMING, CHRISTOS!"
"Okay, Dimitry, let's go to mommy's room, so I can finally change out of my work clothes. Mommy can't keep spending 66 dollars a week getting her pants dry cleaned because of your gooey fingers, you know!"
"COMING, CHRISTOS!"
"Dimitry? Dimitry? Where are you? OMG... come back here, those are stairs you know! STAIRS are dangerous!"
"Dimitry? Dimitry? Where did you go now? Oh! Cute... you're hiding in my closet!"
"Christos, please don't empty those chocolates in the garbage, they are still good."
"Dimitry, let's go wash your hands, you have chocolate all over them."
"No, Dimitry, we don't put our hands IN the toilet..."
"Christos, you can't eat a cupcake now..."
"OH, look at the mess! Let's vacuum. Oh, now you're eating one too, Dimitry?"
"Here's your water, Christos. Here's your water, Dimitry."
"Hey - I have a great idea! Let's organize the toys in the famiily room!"
"Of course I'll play trucks with you, sweetheart! Here Dimitry, you play, too..."
And so, as you can see, it just wouldn't have worked out. Just how was I suppose to peel, prepare, and cook potatoes and chicken in the oven with all that going on?
And that was just the condensed version!
Comments
My other tool...distraction. Got to keep those kids glued to something else..of course I also have the pizza guys number memorized so what do I know?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oriR-RChGQ0
Oh yeah... nannies... staff... nevermind. :)
My kids love to 'help' me cook so that's how I used to get it all done. Let them wash the potatoes in the sink while you quickly peel what you need type thing.....or call for take out!
I could only handle lil boo, no more. The mrs. and I switch...like tag team wrestling, it's the only way. Hectic lifestyles = Mayhem Madness!
Good luck and thanks for the laugh! (with you not at you of course)
Cheers!
~daddy b
I LOVE to cook and would just love to see Hubs TRY and stop me. :P
There's a few ways to get something fast and easy done-first, prep stuff the night before or ahead of time (peel the potatoes and have them cut up, soaking in cold water in the fridge). Plus a crock pot is good too. Don't try to make anything fancy, just stick to what you know. As for the kids, sometimes I'd plunk Jake in front of the TV while I got the chicken in the oven. Hey, it works!
Friday night pizza delivery is our treat every week.
I can relate, my boys being 2 & 4. One eye on the knife, one eye on them. :)
Have you tried a movie for a distraction for the boys while trying to get things done or letting them help. Okay nevermind on that one.
Great post.
Stopping by via the blog hop to say hello!
http://iamharriet.blogspot.com/2009/07/blog-hopping-theres-lot-to-do-this.html