HDToddler and I battled yesterday.

By the end of the day, it was:

HDT - 4millionbazillion
Mommy - negativeazillion

Longest. Day. Ever.

The hours were going so ... very ... slow. He was whining (a lot). My head was hurting (a lot more). Essentially, the same story that is echoed the whole world over about moms and kids. Especially the Ones who stay home and choose this sort of ... punishment (because sweet jesus, it felt like it yesterday).

When my husband walked in the door last night at 5:30, I handed HDT over to him.I did not look back. I did what any good mother would do: I told him I was taking a Mommy Time-Out.

I poured (averybig) glass of (veryalcoholic) red wine, went upstairs to our bedroom, and I locked the door behind me. I turned on the music ("In The Deep" by Bird York) up loud and got in the bathtub. I poured an unusually high amount of bubble bath in, dimmed the lights, sank down, closed my eyes and just relaxed. And I finished the rest of "Amsterdam" by Ian McEwan.

I spent an hour by myself. It was ALL I needed.

I came down ready to go again with this man-to-man defense stuff. My son wanted to ride his 'cah' in the garage, and he insisted I get on his trike.I actually FIT on his trike (not all that comfortable, but ...) and we sped around the garage. He'd park behind a desk we have out there, giggle while I said, "WHERE ARE YOU? ARE YOU HIIIIDING?", then whip that puppy out of the parking spot and speed off again. Just plain funny.

I am oh-so-ready for my cruise in May. HDHusband said to me last night, "You are burned out; you need a break". And it will be JUST the right amount of time away to come back happy and refreshed again.

And I can't wait.