How Men & Women Differ….

I ended up taking Pumpkin to the doctor’s today when nearly 90 minutes after a dose of Tylenol, her fever was still hovering at 101 degrees. Normally a very laid-back baby, when sick (and this is the sickest she’s ever been), she’s clingy, needs lots of cuddling, and can’t be put down AT ALL.

This means that getting things done today was low priority. I barely managed to prepare lunch for myself and The Princess. I still managed to get dinner on the table (don’t ask how – it involved feeding Pumpkin two bites of baby food, then dashing into the kitchen, then back to give her another bite, then back to the kitchen). On a day when I would have loved for Hubby to say, “Hey, why don’t I pick up a pizza on the way home?” he did nothing of the sort. And then, on top of that, he and Stepson added to my mood by doing this joyful male “goodie”: Nothing.

Yup, that means that dishes were left stacked up in the sink (you know, the sink that is RIGHT NEXT TO THE FREAKING DISHWASHER). We had breakfast for dinner, so the bottle of syrup was left on the table. Napkins were wadded up on the table (for the few who actually used their napkins, anyway). I suppose I should count my blessings they even put their stuff in the sink.

I have a great deal of pet peeves – but a big one is that I don’t like a sink full of dirty dishes. You can almost “fake it” that your kitchen is reasonably neat if the sink is empty. But when it’s full of junk? Forget it? It starts making the whole kitchen feel cluttered and messy.

I put Pumpkin to bed (by the way, the doc can’t find a “focus of infection” but says that with a temp like that, her body is obviously fighting something – if it’s still pretty consistent at 101 tomorrow, we’ll have to go to the after hours and get her a chest x-ray, even though today her lungs sound fine), and went to hop on the treadmill and walk and be A L O N E for 30 minutes. I came back upstairs and not only is my sink full of dishes, but the toys I had asked The Princess to put away were still strewn all over the living room. Hubby had already tucked The Princess in, so I wasn’t going to drag her downstairs to put the stuff away.

I went to hug and kiss my kiddo, came back downstairs and I collapsed on the floor (more out of drama than actual exhaustion, mind you). I told Hubby, “I need more help around here! I wasn’t able to get anything done today because Pumpkin was sick, and I feel like I’m starting all over now that the kids are all in bed – like I have several more hours of work to do.” His response? “You don’t have to worry about getting things done – take care of Pumpkin – she’s the priority. The other stuff can happen later.”

Okay, all fine and good. But I don’t want to live in squalor because the baby is sick! MEN! It would be nice to hear, “You know what, honey, I’m hearin’ ya, and I’ll make more of an effort to pick up after myself.”

I am not trying to scrub the floors and polish windows here! I just want to get the dirty dishes in the dishwasher, and have the toys put away at the end of the day. It’s like pulling teeth.

Never mind my pity party – I’m in a “poor me” mode.

Where is that ice cream when ya need it?

About sarah

Sarah is a book nerd, a music lover, an endorphin junkie, a coffee addict. Oh, and a goof ball. She writes, she tweets, and she sings off key.

Comments

  1. I hear you! Best Friend and I got away for a few blissful hours of girl-time in November while her husband watched the kids. He did a great job, except we came back to a kitchen that should have been declared a national disaster area, and a living room that looked like someone’s closet and play room had exploded all over it. Dish washers, laundry hampers, and toy boxes just don’t register on a regular basis with the testosterone bunch. But for all of their quirks (I’m trying to be nice here), we end up loving those estrogen-less creatures anyway.

  2. He did try for redemption this a.m. with the buy-one-get-one-free capuccinos from Starbucks – came home with TWO of my favorites. So that helped… a little.

  3. I CLEARLY watch far too much Dr. Phil because my first thought was that Hubby isn’t picking up on your clue about having lots to do beyond tending to a sick baby…so you need to ask specifically for what you want.

    I’m sorry Pumpkin’s sick again. Hoping the whole family doesn’t get whatever she has.

  4. As usual, I’m amazed that with everything going on in your life, you still found time to exercise !

    Go Sarah ! 😉

    Poor lil’ pumpkin. I hope Pumpkin gets well quickly. ((((Pumpkin & Mommy))))

  5. She’s doing great today, actually. Getting some spunk back.

    Oh – and Hubs? He’s been dusting and cleaning (and put Stepson to work, even – scrubbing out toilets and dusting the shelves and knickknacks!).

    While they’ve been doing that, I’ve been lounging on the couch with a Starbucks while Pumpkin is content chilling on the floor with her toys! (She hasn’t been CONTENT anywhere in a few days, so this is definite progress!).

  6. I’m so glad Pumpkin is feeling better. I totally understand the dense Husband thing. It may be in their genes. I hate to have to be VERY SPECIFIC, but I find myself talking to him like I talk to my toddlers to get things done.

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