The Pipe Dream - A Birthday Wish

[KellyD]

I'm normally not a selfish person and I love my boys more than life itself but I am turning 30 (eek!) next week and the only present I want is peace and quiet! A day without whinging and crying (from myself included), without tantrums and dirty nappies. A day where I may actually be listened to and don't have to repeat myself 100 times without success. A day where I can eat all my own food when I'm actually hungry and not have to wait until they are asleep to avoid the squealing from the already fed piglets. I would like to be able to sleep all day guilt free and not have to breastfeed the baby which would also allow me to enjoy as many cups of coffee or glasses of wine as I please. My toddler has a milk allergy so I would also like to be able to eat chocolate and cheese and ice cream without having to think about what I might touch with these things on my hands. And most of all I want to do these things by myself, so I don't have to talk to anyone or feel like I should be doing something more productive with my time, like clean or study. So I put this to my husband and pregnant sister-in-law/best friend. Both agreed that this is not selfish and is do-able but seriously the amount of preparation needed for an outing of this sort is really not worth the effort. Let's think about it, it would be easier for me to go some place away from the children, like a luxury hotel suite with room service, in room spa, movie channels, king size bed and a nice view of the pool rather than having to pack up the children and husband and find them some place to go. That part is easy enough provided we have the money to spare for this indulgence. But then I would need to express enough milk to be away for a whole day and night (I'm not rushing home in the morning! My milk may not be alcohol free enough by 6am anyway...) and I hate my breast pump. It would take me a week to pump this much milk and frankly I don't have enough "spare time" to be constantly attached to the milking machine. Also I would have to take the stupid pump with me to my mythical hotel suite to avoid the feeling that my chest may explode any minute. A part of me would feel guilty that I am enjoying all this luxury without my wonderful deserving husband, but I would probably get over that pretty quickly. My best friend only had one concern about this proposal, that was if she could join me. After much deliberation I decided she is just as deserving of this as me, after all she 7 months pregnant, is raising a 14 year old and is married to my stressed out, overly obsessive, football mad, procrastinating brother who seems to think that pregnancy hormones are a myth that can be controlled and just an excuse to get what you want. (He was only stupid enough to say this once, I don't think he will be saying it again any time soon). So I told her Ok you can come but you must encourage bad eating habits and speak only when spoken to... If you make any child like crying sounds you will be banished...
Anyway, it's a nice dream. The daydream that came with writing this blog may be the closest I get to this birthday wish for a very long time! I will just have to settle for blocking my ears and hiding under the bed to eat my chocolate cheese and ice cream, stock my own fridge with alcohol and put a ladder in the backyard to enjoy the view of the neighbour's pool...Happy Birthday to Me...

[epileric]

I hope it's a good (or even just OK) birthday. Please accept these a birthday gift.

[KellyD]

Thanks, they will be useful! It will be a great birthday, we are going to play mini golf with the family and some friends so I will have fun. Just not quietly...

[Endless]

Oh, man. The life of a mother is a crazy hectic one. You really need a break.

A couple of years ago a friend of mine had the same wish. Her husband tried to fulfill it by putting a "do not enter" sign on their bedroom door, serving her meals to her in bed, etc. It worked for about 15 minutes. In the end, she ended up doing a house swap with me. I went over to her house for a weekend and took care of her kids. She and her husband enjoyed themselves at my house. It's not luxurious or anything, but it's got a big comfortable king-sized bed, fluffy towels, it's clean, it's quiet, and there's lavendar bath salts next to the tub.

You deserve a break. If a hotel isn't possible, maybe you would have some REALLY GOOD friends that would do this for you?

[KellyD]

With a little bit of compromise, the pipe dream becomes a reality!

My wonderful daydream yesterday while writing my blog about my birthday wish of having a day off completely to myself got me thinking, Surely it wouldn't hurt to just have a look at the accommodation packages at the casino, the nicest place in town to stay and the place we got married...would it? So I had a look and there was this awesome Couples package where you receive 1 night upgraded to an Executive Room, wine and chocolate on arrival (sold!), some money to gamble, 2 buffet breakfasts (oh yeah!) and 2 30 minute massages (where do I sign!!). This did seem a little pricey but we did just get a nice tax return and we were trying to think of a little present to buy ourselves with some of it. So I thought a little more about it and realised my birthday is on a Saturday, my eldest boy goes to kindy on Friday and my husband is on a day off which would mean it's just the 2 of us and the baby. Check in is at 2pm, we could go and have a swim and a glass of wine and some choccies and pick the boy up at 5. Go home and feed the children and put them to bed and bribe someone who claims to love me very much to come and stay the night. In the morning I could wake up whenever I want on my birthday, not at 6am to a screaming baby demanding to be fed. We could have our buffet breakfast and then have a nice massage and head home. This plan means I only need to express 2 bottles, easy! How could anyone say no to this? The last time my husband and I had a night to ourselves away anywhere without children was for our 1st wedding anniversary when I was pregnant with our first in 2007. There was 1 night in hospital when the baby #2 was born but I don't think that counts. So I call my husband with the best "pretty please" voice I can muster, and after highlighting all the benefits of my proposal and how it could meet our needs with very little effort (I was in sales in a past life) he said yes! Now to find an unsuspecting family member that can't say no but will take care of my boys the way I would without all the ridiculous spoiling that will mean we will return home to monsters. Enter my lovely best friend/sister in law. Yes I know she is pregnant but it has been 14 years since she had a baby, maybe she needs a refresher course. I know my brother could use a little practice. So with the promise of dinner cooked for them and a fridge and cupboard stocked with all the treats to satisfy her pregnancy cravings as well as a cross my heart hope to die promise of returning the favour any time she wishes, she happily said yes. She also said she would have said yes without all the bribery but hey I'm grateful she said yes so I don't mind showing it! So the pipedream is a reality! Yes it is a little different to the original but this will be more fun since I get to share it with hubby. Oh yes, the best part about it? When I told my mum, she begged me to let her pay for it!! "Um ok, if you must." So not only a night off, but a free night off. I feel so spoilt, I can't believe it! Happy Birthday to me!!!!!

[Nakamova]

Yay for pipedreams coming true! Have a very happy birthday!

[lindinig]

That sounds like a wonderful birthday gift. And don't you feel guilty for even a second of it! Your kids are going to be in good hands and you deserve this! I will tell you though, that the squealing, whining, little children do eventually grow up into [semi]-mature older children, capable of satisfying their own boredom needs. I'm really enjoying spending time with my 10 & 13 year olds. We have such a blast together, going to movies, bowling, skiing, all the things that are so much work with younger kids.

[CQ:)]

That's great that you got your birthday wish .

Being able to stay in a luxurious hotel with your hubby (even if it is just a night) sounds like the best 30th birthday present .

[Endless]

Whahooooooo! That sounds wonderful! Have a great time.