The home "office"

What seemed like sheer brilliance pre-kids has become almost a joke during the kids' waking hours. As some may know my husband typically works anywhere from 2-4 overnight shifts as a nurse, basically leaving me on my own for the days and nights since he sleeps during the day. Today was one of those days. Andrew's asleep, I just laid Drew, our almost 2 year old, down for nap and have diligently attempted, for almost an hour, to coerce Harry (3 1/2) to take a nap, to no avail. I knew I needed to make an important phone call that required both my attention and quiet.

After explaining that I needed 10 minutes for him to entertain himself I set up Harry in the sandbox in the yard and I took my chance with the phone while on the porch in view of the backyard excavator. Mid-way through the call Harry pops his head in the door asking for his new "digger" which I thought was with the rest of the toys in the shed. So I waved him off to retrieve it while refocusing myself on the phone. Less than a minute later I look up and realize that the shed door is closed and Harry's nowhere in sight. I hear some commotion out front where a road crew is fixing some pot holes and had come across my little explorer walking along the curb. As I rush to grab him (still with the phone in my ear and attempting to muffle the sounds coming from the work crew) I can only imagine what could have happened to Harry had no one been there and what the workers are thinking of the Mom who is too busy on the phone to even keep an eye on her son. After thanking the men and rushing him back around to the yard I wrap up my conversation as quickly as possible. Harry thought the digger was in the garage then heard the "working men" out front so he thought he'd say "hi." I didn't know whether to yell at him, make him stay inside for the rest or the day, or hug him. Ultimately he got a stern talking to about staying in the yard followed by some quality time together.

In the end, it turned out fine, but once again I'm reminded of how work and my own kids don't often mix which baffles me since I spend the majority of my "out of the house" work day with children!