Autopilot

Joe's been gone for a little over two weeks and I'm definitely running on autopilot.  My daily routine is different, yet the same.

-I wake up at 5:15am, quietly get ready as to not wake Ty
-Speed drive to work to beat the crazy Okinawa traffic to get there by 6:30am
-Get my room cleaned up and ready for the day
-Juggle 21 6/7 year olds for 7 1/2 hours (while 5 out of 6 school days I get a prep period and then shovel food during my 40 minute lunch break which is more like 35 minutes by the time I walk my kids through the lunch line and walk back to class, which really is only like 5 minutes because I'm too busy grading papers or getting things prepped for something else)
-When 2:20 strikes and I walk my kids out the door (and I don't have any kids lingering behind with behavior problems or scheduled meetings (that we have far too many of in my opinion), I clean up and get  a few things ready for the next day and try to leave by 2:45 (when teachers are allowed to leave for the day)
-Drive home in terrible traffic where I deal with people who drive like incompetent morons 99% of the time
-Depending on how long it takes me to weave in and out of traffic on the way home, I try to stop by the post office to pick up the mail
-Get home, see if Ty is awake or asleep (if he's asleep - yay, a few minutes of peace and quiet time to myself - oh wait, I usually end up cleaning dishes, take out the trash, put away the never ending piles of junk, etc. - if he's awake - it's play time)
-Play, play, play - try to get dinner ready, change diapers, feed Ty dinner, inhale my dinner, play a bit more before bed
-Bath time/struggle to get Ty into a diaper and PJs
-Bedtime bottle and put him to bed - if all goes well he goes down for the entire night - but of course, luck would have it that he's teething again while Joe's gone - so it's not uncommon for him to wake up hysterical in the middle of the night, or 45 minutes before my alarm is set to go off... meaning I lose 45 minutes of precious, glorious sleep
-When he's finally settled in for the night, I tackle the kitchen (that's Joe's usual routine - he actually enjoys it!)
-Prep all of Ty's food for the next day
-Clean up all of Ty's toys that have taken over the living room
-Take a shower
-Collapse into bed - I haven't managed to make it to bed before 10pm while he's been gone (except for last night - I made it and fell asleep around 9:30... on a Friday!)

*Not to mention this last week was Dr. Seuss week which involved a lot of extra activities complete with a Dr. Seuss costume birthday celebration on Friday. I've had a little too much Seuss in my life the last few months!

Repeat the next day, give or take a few changes. Weekends consist of trying to sleep in as long as Ty and the dogs will let me. Relaxing in PJs all morning until Ty takes his morning nap and then get ready and run errands - commissary/BX are the normal places we go and sometimes go out to eat with a friend. I occasionally have time/energy to sit down and watch a movie or tv show.  Such a simple pleasure is now a luxury.  We hardly get to watch anything except Baby Einstein. It's sick how much Ty loves those videos and how Joe and I have them memorized. We limit his screen time to about 1 show a day, but with Joe being gone, sometimes those shows are the only way I can entertain him so I can cook a meal or fold the laundry.  He's getting to where he has to be by someone all the time or he cries - separation anxiety?! Not sure, but I hope he grows out of it, fast!

I have no idea when he's scheduled to get back, but I hope it's soon. I'm beyond exhausted and could really use some help.  Thankfully, our old nanny is coming to watch him for a few hours tomorrow while I run a few errands and get my pedicure (Christmas gift from Joe which is about to expire so I needed to squeeze it in).  I can't wait to have a few hours of me time! :)