Mama Circus Act

It's amazing the things you find yourself capable of when you don't have anyone but yourself to help you.  Before children, if someone told you that you would be able to balance a child, a purse, a drink, a stuffed animal AND a huge bag of take out food all while walking across the parking lot, getting the car door open, and setting everything inside without dropping anything, you would have likely laughed in their face.

Yet, here I am, Princess on my hip, trying to keep hold of the string to her balloon so it won't fly away (as that would be a catastrophe), holding a bag of takeout food from Red Robin, a purple stuffed tiger, a drink for me, a drink for the Princess, my purse, and a cell phone.  Of course, the restaurant was completely packed so we had to park across the street, which I then had to navigate back across to get this huge load into the car while mentally crossing my fingers that the food won't fall.  Of course, through this whole trip, the Princess can't just hold on and sit still.  Oh no, not this little two year old.  She has to swivel every which way to see all the cars, the birds, you name it!

If someone were to ask me what the biggest help to a single mom could be?  I think I would honestly have to say, an extra pair of hands.  You realize once your partner ships out for a year worth of deployment just how much help they provide, even if it's only a pair of eyes and a ten minute distraction so that you can whirlwind through the kitchen and pick up all the dishes that have accumulated through the day, or to keep an eye on the little one so you can go pick up that food without involving the juggling act.

Motherhood truly is a Circus.