Another refreshing holiday

I’m coming down from a massive sugar high, one that was brought on by a king-size package of peanut butter Twix and a package of Oreo Cakesters.  No one needs that much sugar and I’m starting to pay for my choices with a case of the ick that I could have avoided had I eaten the grapes that have been in the fridge since Monday.

The truth is I’m trying to eat my anxiety away.  Autumn is going to be gone to Nathan’s brother’s house this weekend and I’m starting to feel apprehensive about the trip.  There’s really no reason for it, but it’s just one of those things I go through whenever I’m going to be away from my child for more than a day.

Nathan is euphoric.  He’s been dancing around the house since he found out we’d be alone together for 48 hours.  His plans whenever we have time away from the kid seem to always involve nudity, the bed or a combination of the two while I like to do things I don’t normally have time for when Autumn is around.  I have a stack of books yet to read, an afghan to finish and a severely neglected checkbook that needs balancing.  Most of all I’m looking forward to two days of not having a child wake me up before 8 am.

Tomorrow morning we’re meeting the family at McDonalds for breakfast and from there they will be taking Autumn to a water park.  Ok, that’s the part that is really making me anxious.  Autumn and water.  Autumn and a water park.  She loves to swim but has issues with water hitting her above the neck.  And by “issues” I mean she emits an ear-piercing shriek whenever water is poured over her head.  She hates showers and refuses to frolic in sprinklers or any variation of outdoor toy meant to douse one with water.

And as this photo very clearly illustrates, the girl is likely to lose her shit tomorrow.

But really, this is not going to be my problem since I won’t be there.  But that’s another thing.  Her first trip to a water park and I won’t be there to help bring her down from the inevitable freak-out.  I know she’ll be in capable hands since Nathan’s sister-in-law is a nurse not to mention a mother herself, but I’d like to be around because there’s really no acceptable substitute for MOM when you’re losing your shit.

I’m also sort of feeling bad that we’re shuffling Autumn out the door during a holiday weekend.  We normally don’t do a lot during the Fourth of July anyway, but I’d kind of like to have her around.  It is a holiday after all, and someone has to be there to offer the dog some hugs when the fireworks start.  This year we seem to be short on both canine tranquilizers and carpet shampoo.