Commitment Phobe

<grouse>I understand now why some people are commitment phobes. Oh, not in relation to marriage or relationships, but referring to family commitments and involvement. Frankly, it's just plain easier to say no to extracurricular activities, classes/studies/hobbies for the parents, and I'm beginning to think it's cheaper! And this whole school thing is waaaaaay overrated...you never read about all the viruses and nasty bugs that get passed around with the cutesy crafts and circle times in preschool brochures, do ya? </grouse>

In case you hadn't guessed, yes we DID have a sleepless night, and our DD is still sick this morning. In fact she greeted DH at about 4:45 AM with vomit all over herself and her bed, when he went in to her room (again) to see what she needed when she started crying for the twentieth time in what felt like the span of twenty minutes. This was after we had actually woken the child up twice in the middle of the night to administer rotating doses of Motrin and Tylenol on the advice of our pediatrician, who said there is a nasty virus going around that causes high fevers, and to call and bring her in tomorrow (today) if she wasn't doing better. Yep-per, a 104.3F fever in a three year old is no fun, even if part of us secretly enjoyed the fact that all she wanted to do was lie on the couch huddled under a blanket and watch TV, instead of pestering us to play endless ridiculous scenarios with her Lil People, Elmo, Dragon, and cardboard bricks that masquerade as doctor's tables and dentist's chairs in her active imagination. (I mean, really, only a three year old could imagine that EVERY time one of her Lil People has to go to the doctor or dentist, the caregiver is always asleep for a few minutes first.) Unfortunately that part was far outweighed by the concerned parents who didn't like seeing their active little girl so down and totally unlike her normal self.

And last night DS decided that the only time he would actually sleep was when he was nursing. After uncounted hours of tossing and turning DS firmly snuggled in and attached, I decided the only way I was going to sleep properly was to kick him out to his crib...something that I finally did about, oh, five nanoseconds before DD started her two hour wake-up kick with assorted requests (water, stories, etc) at some ridiculous hour of the morning, culminating in the vomit episode and DS being woken up for the third time from his crib.

It was not fun. I am still not awake. DH let me sleep in until 8:15 (hallelujah for work from home days!), when I finally responded to DS pounding on our bedroom door. DH wisely made leaded coffee, which I desperately need. And I had to email and guiltily cancel systematic theology AGAIN, making it the second week in a row that I have ditched class. Thank goodness I don't have Bible study tomorrow, due to the Hallmark holiday (which we don't celebrate...homemade valentines with crayons and construction paper is right up our alley in this house).

The thing is, we are totally, utterly MAXED OUT in our commitments as a family. DH is doing a mens Bible study. I am doing a womens Bible study. I am also doing the systematic theology class. And we are both co-facilitators of a new financial class at church, Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. (As another aside, I know there are parts of Dave's teachings that contradict, to some degree, prevailing wisdom regarding investments and such, but DH is more risk averse than I so we are crafting a middle ground for ourselves...right after we finish that Debt Snowball.) DD has preschool twice a week, and then I'm teaching one day per week, such that DD comes with me to campus daycare. A babysitter takes care of DS, which means the house has to stay presentable. Normally housework is what I let slide when things go totally wild on us, as we are quite capable of Living in Filth™. However, this option is not available given that we have someone else who has to deal with our house cleanliness (or lack thereof), thus I have to make it a priority, too, along with finding money and time for procuring new clothes (when the heck did DD sprout up two inches and outgrow everything in her wardrobe?) and new shoes (ditto DS' feet?).

I truly understand why people just say no to doing lots of stuff now. Because when the sh!t hits the fan, you get really, really behind on, oh, everything, and that's really stressful. As if I needed more environmental factors to make me susceptible to all those colds DD is bringing home. Yeesh! Off to chug more OJ now, thanks.