Some households have 1 parent. Some have 2. Some have 3. You get the point. If I continue on I’ll start to sound like a Dr. Seuss book. My household originally had 2 parents in it every day. Then all of that changed when my husband got a great new job…out of town. Like, way out of town. Like, several states away. This was a giant leap for my husband and me. We enjoy each other’s company and are genuinely best friends. The thought of not living together for a while sounded absolutely ridiculous to us. And sad. But we agreed to give it a go because it was a good opportunity for my husband and his career. Plus, we knew that our son, who was 11 months old at the time, wouldn’t remember any of this as long as we didn’t continue to live this way for an extended period of time. So, off he went. He would visit once per month for sure, and in many months, twice. Even at two visits per month, it felt awful. So many families live this way for years and years. And we mustn’t forget military families that can be split up for months and months at a time. It was quite a journey for us, but 3 jobs in 3 states and a year and a half later, he’s now home. Sure, he’ll travel here and there, but the days of him actually living away from his family are over. To put it mildly, it just wasn’t our thang. But he did learn a lot and have many good experiences along the way. So there are definitely some positive points. Plus, we are very grateful for having good jobs in general. That’s always something to be thankful for.
So for our household, the conclusion is that 2 parents are better than 1. Our son, Rowdy, who is now 2.5, has a little extra spark in him when daddy is around. Plus, co-parenting is awesome. Not only do I not have to give every bath, change every diaper and play with every puzzle and tractor by myself, but I also get to share the daily joys that Rowdy provides with my partner and co-parent. (When I say “He’s so damn cute” to strangers they just don’t react the same way my husband does.) It’s amazing, and this Thanksgiving we were extra thankful to be able to live together as a family.
We’re now getting used to living together again. For a year and a half I’ve slept in that big ass king-sized bed alone most nights, and I’ve watched an absurd amount of Bravo and E! on a regular basis after my son goes to bed. And while I still plan on watching an absurd amount of Bravo and E! (duh), I will certainly and gladly share that big ass bed with my husband. My husband, the man that lives with me.
Kind Kiddo 