[Proving her Uncle Keith's theory that every child is born a Browns Fan.]Things are finally starting to calm down a little. Yesterday was full of activity, but that will all start to change.
Over the past few days I think my mother-in-law was getting the feeling that I did not want her here. She has been in town since Wednesday, and to say I don't want her around would be the biggest false in the world. It's like saying Kanye West has manners. It's just not true.
Since I started to date Jenn way back when and her parents moved back down to Kentucky, her mom always whispered in my ear as we said good-bye, "Take care of my girls"
She was referring to her daughter and Audrey, but now, the girls are now three. In my house I like to cook. It's a stress reliever, and when my mother-in-law said that she would come over and cook breakfast, I said no. I wanted to cook. You are MORE than welcome to come over and eat breakfast with us, I love to cook for people, but please, my kitchen, my rules, my breakfast.
I don't think she understood. When I said, no I can cook it, I think she heard, "We don't need you". Mother's have a natural ability to care for their young due to the fact they know their children a whole 9 months before anyone else. They know their habits, their comforts, and their mannerisms. Fathers have to learn. A Father learns to love their child by caring for it. Jenn's mother is a caring machine. She wants to help. She wants to be there. She wants to feel needed. I understand that. I get that. But I needed her to relax and let me "take care of her girls".
Many feel that cooking is a hassle. For me, it's a stress relief. If I am having a bad day, expect a pretty good meal. If I had a wonderful wonderful day, expect a good meal. If my day was so so, expect twinkies and grilled cheese.
So yesterday, among the hustle and bustle, I told Jenn's mom to sit down, put her feet up, and oh look! A baby. Relax today. May this be the last Sunday morning in the next 5 years where you don't need to make breakfast. Let me do my thing. To say she looked comfortable would be like saying the look on your face when you are constipated is a happy one. For the 20 minutes it took me to make breakfast she squirmed. She wanted to jump up and help, but she stayed put. It was fantastic. I cooked breakfast, served the troops, and cleaned up, all the while she relaxed on the couch and played the role of Grandma very very well. I will say she was a bit mad when I did the dishes. In her house the cook doesn't clean up, the people who eat clean up. Not in my house. I was in a zone. I was done, I cleaned up while Mom enjoyed being a Mom and Nana enjoyed being a Nana. I need to have a purpose. If my role is to make sure mommy is comfortable and stress-free, then that is what I am going to do. I get my baby time when everyone else is gone.
Life is perfect for the day. Grandparents played the role of Grandparents, and I played the role of Dad, and my lovely wife, played the role of Mother pretty damn awesomely.
Today it is going to get a bit more low key. The in-laws go home. Audrey is back in school and back to her normal routine. I am sitting here sipping a cup of coffee while I punch out a blog and watch the Today show on NBC.
Life has been great. Stressful, wonderfully stressful.
Our Sunday was great. Browns on the T.V. Baby in Granparents' arms. Dinner on the grill. Oh yeah, and my awesome bottle of Autographed Bourbon from Four Roses Distillery. Thank you Granddaddy Michael and Jim Rutledge, Master Distiller from Four Roses![click on the photo of bourbon to learn more about the wonderful bottle of bourbon I have!]
Posts
10 comments:
Very nice. I can think of a few men who could take lessons.Almost nothing better than a husband that cooks and cleans, I have one too.
Man do i understand the whole cooking thing..its my passion.
give the mom in law a big hug, maybe some flowers she will be cool;)
best to you friend
I agree with cooking, it is a huge stress relief and nothing is more enjoyable than seeing someone enjoy a meal that you just made.
On a side note I grew up in Cincinnati but the navy has taken me to many places, most recently Virginia Beach. I work part time at a hotel and I saw a couple of guest roll up in an SUV with Ohio plates. Naturally I ask them where they are coming from and they replied Cleveland. I told them that I was from Cincinnati. The lady said " Oh, so you must be a bengals fan."
My response to her: " Do those exist anymore? "
"I told Jenn's mom to sit down, put her feet up, and oh look! A baby."
That's great, something I would so totally do cause, lets face it cute babys make everyone drop what they are doing immediately and say "awww, cute baby" It sounds like you guys had a great weekend. Cheers.
I was just going to copy and paste the exact same line as the other Julie above did... Us Julie's, we are so clever.....
anyway- love that line. And, yes, you can cook me breakfast anytime.
ooh you'd love my mil. whn i had my son, she offered to come and help out while hubby was at work, so i could rest.
she'd sit on the couch with the baby sleeping on her chest, my daughter, then 2, sitting next to her, and somehow they'd all nap.
i'd doze for a while trying to take advantage of what little rest time i had while she was here, but ended up doing things like laundry or dishes, while they all cuddled and dozed on the couch.
i was smart though- i always made it back to bed before they woke up. (the one time i didn't- oh wow did i hear about it!)
I can understand what you say about cooking. Your kitchen is your very private space.
Soo.. Scribbling notes here. Cooking: Check. She's the kitchen wizard, but I hold my own.
Cleaning: Check, and even more so now that she's expecting.
Fixin' her morning tea: I hear she's up now, time to go!
Cheers!
Will
Can I get you to come over and teach my hubby to voluntarily cook? I love cooking, just like you, but man to have my hubby feel the same way about it would be AWESOME.
Your girls are very lucky to have you taking care of them.
I am so happy for you! It is fantastic that life is returning to normal for you. It is funny though to read about your cooking love, my parents are the exact opposite: both hate to cook. We're best friends with Subway and Papa John's.
Post a Comment