DH going out of town! ARGH!!!!!

[cymbeline]

Ok, I know some of you are solo, and I applaud you. I am not, my DH is very involved, in fact I lean on him heavily day to day!!

So I am shocked and really frustrated right now as I just found out he will be out of town for work for FOUR days next week. FOUR!

I'm partly upset because he told me a few weeks ago he would be gone 1 or 2 days. Today, he sent me his itinerary -- he will be gone Wednesday early morning through Saturday afternoon.

Our 7yo has swine flu, and DS4 is only 8 weeks old. I'm running on very little sleep as it is, the idea of him being gone for more than 24 hours is truly terrifying. We don't have any family in town to help, and I can't ask friends to help since I have a kid with freaking swine flu!

And I am mad as hell and freaked out and I don't know what to do. I can't believe he springs me on this less than a week out!!! ARGH!

(fill in lots and lots of expletives and sobbing here)

Thanks for letting me vent. Any advice??

[2boyzmama]

My advice is to plan something fun each day he's gone. If you can't leave the house because of your son being sick (although he should be over the worst of it by then, we all had the piggly wiggly and the worst was over in a week, but the cough is lingering still 3 weeks later) then plan "themed" days at home. Have one day be a pajama party day, rent movies and stay in pajamas all day. Have another day be a beach day, have a beach party in your house, swim suits and everything!

Also, mornings are hard in our house, I have to handle all three boys and get us all out of the house before 8am for Connor's school or therapies. After struggling for a week or so, I decided that I'm just not allowed to yell or lose my patience in the mornings. I'm just not! Even this morning when Connor and Gavin were both screaming (both wanted to nurse, but both needed to be changed and dressed and with the nipple trauma I have right now I can't tandem at the same time, I have to nurse them separately, which pi$$es off one of them...) but I just kept on doing what needed to be done, not allowing myself to get worked up about it. I calmly dressed Gavin while Connor screamed at my feet, then I calmly dressed Connor while Gavin screamed next to me. Then I nursed Gavin while Connor screamed, then I nursed Connor while Gavin proceeded to puke everywhere. Then I made the decision to not change Gavin's puke-covered clothes and just continue on our routine.

And you know what? We got out of the house on time, got Connor to therapy, and actually had a nice morning!

And remember, it's only 4 days, you can do it. I have been known to say outloud "I love my children I love my children I love..." when I'm about to explode at them or when all he!! is breaking loose, because the alternative is to scream right along with them, and that won't help!!

Not to say that I never yell or lose my patience, because i certainly do, but I'm finding this new outlook to help a lot!