parenting alone // dada's away on business

andrew had to leave for a business trip a few days back and his girls miss him terribly.  unfortunately, this week brought with it the infamously tiring parent teacher conferences.  in short, the circles under my eyes are one magnificent shade of eggplant and i just might not have showered today.  but i did get stella dressed with matching socks at 6 am, so one point me!      

i am going to throw this out there: parenting alone is one of the hardest thing i have ever done.  i cannot wrap my mind around how single moms and dads out there do it day in and day out.  you are amazing.  i tip my hat to you.  but like anything one does that requires an extra push and more internal drive, the feeling of accomplishment is that much greater.  

one unseasonably warm day this week i felt as though i had climbed mount everest after having cooked a meal from scratch, given stella a bath, AND having gone for a nightly stroll all in the same evening.  if there was a gold star to be handed out, i indeed felt worthy of it.  i went to bed that night, after watching some downton, of course, feeling like i had done my personal best, with swelling satisfaction.  i am quite sure that "my best" at parenting alone could be laughable to many studly parents out there, but that's what's awesome about the word best.  it is subjective.  it is molded by the person and shaped into a reflection of their hard work alone.  so my best, well it rocked (according to me).

despite our constant longings for our favorite person, our struggles of not having warm body to cuddle with, nor an extra helping hand in a variety of tasks, stella, leon and i have had some good old fashioned fun bonding over the past few days.  this little trio may have even broken a few rules too: like eating on the couch; staying up until 9:00; and devouring a whole bowl full of chocolate ice cream after supper.  but dada doesn't have to know everything, right?

so here i am doing my best, with all of its flaws and broken rules.  it has been a wicked blast and a week that i will keep locked up in my memory bank of moments of when i kicked butt as a mom.  i will put it on that dusty shelf high up where tippy toes are required, and when i am feeling defeated i will collect it and re-live it.  and just maybe i will go back into the archives of this blog post and smile, rather humbly.

here is a little photo diary of our weekly adventures...

1. a bubble bath and one happy girl.
2. abcs and morning coffee.
3. a simple coloring at the library.
4. a sticker-bombed-new-lavender-nail-polish shot. :)
5. me with contacts that currently scratch like broken glass; hence le glasses. 
6. valentine crayon heart making (stay tuned for a tutorial). 
7. an admirer of mama's "choos" and messy closet.

for those who have to parent alone, what makes you feel accomplished?  what consists of your best?  

xx, amanda