I am not often alone. You might this lack of solitude stems from my role as mother to a precocious toddler who often accompanies “momom” to the bathroom. Or my role as ELA Supervisor, where I am surrounded by students and teachers. Or the fact that I am happily married to a man who is my best friend whom I love to be around. All of these things are true. But my togetherness started a long time ago.
See, I am an identical twin. And as an identical twin growing up in New York City, I was glued to my sister’s side for most of my adolescence. We were allowed to go places–take trains and buses and walk–if we were together. So my sister and I stuck together. In fact, I can distinctly remember the first time, as a college freshman, I went to the Barnes and Noble by myself. There was no one to rush me through the fiction section to get to boring History, no one to nag me not to spend too much money. It was a surreal feeling.
But I relish my alone time. I don’t get it very often, but when I do get it I savor it. Tonight, after a long day at work and buying my mom a birthday gift and what seemed like endless traffic I came home to relieve my mother in law. My husband had baseball tryouts today (anyone else always want to call tryouts auditions? Just me?) and then he was going out to dinner with a friend. So it was just me and my girl and then it would just be me. I had an evening of running and reading planned for once she went to sleep.
Fate, or the stomach bug she had yesterday, intervened. I was giving my girl her nighttime bottle, her first milk of the day since we thought she was still recovering from yesterday’s bout of stomach stuff, when she looked at me with sweet eyes and said, “All done.” Then she promptly vomited all over me. And the couch. And the rug.
Fortunately, none of it got on her. And after her initial fright all she wanted was more Elmo and CooMon (the Cookie Monster doll she sleeps with). So I cleaned up. And I poured a big glass of wine and made pasta for one and wrote about it. Now I’ll watch TV my husband doesn’t watch (hello, Bravo!) and enjoy the rest of my evening. Alone.
This post is part of the Slice of Life writing challenge hosted by Two Writing Teachers. You can find out more about the challenge here!
stufflizreads 
Ugh…that’s just the worst. I can handle just about anything except vomit. Vomit makes me want to call for my mommy. I hope your little one feels better soon, and maybe just as importantly, I hope the rest of your alone time went better!
Oh no! I hope she is getting some rest and feeling better. Even though it wasn’t as planned, I’m glad you got a little alone time! (Wine always helps.)
Oh no!! I can relate to how sacred alone time can be…in any capacity. While it may not have been the ideal, take the time to breathe and enjoy that glass of wine. 🙂 Hope your little one is on the mend soon.