Month 13: When Mom’s Away...

This past weekend was the first time I’ve been away from Miles for three whole nights. Not only that, but I left him and C. to travel almost 3,000 miles away to an entirely different coast. It was big, people.

Much as knew I’d miss my babe (oh, yeah, and C. :), I was really looking forward to the trip. Some girlfriends and I headed out to Portland, Ore., for our friend E.G.’s wedding. Now, she’s the last of the eight of us to get married, and one of the few remaining childless ones, so this chick has endured her share of wedding and baby discussions, let me tell you. Delinquent florists, in-law drama, pregnancy woes, childbirth recaps, you name it, she’s had to sit through it. Five or six times. So the least we could do is fly out for her wedding.

C. wasn’t too worried about the prospect of three days of single parenting. In fact, he couldn’t wait. Not only does he get one-on-one father-son time, but he gets to dress Miles in all the sports gear he wants, watch unlimited ESPN, and leave his socks around without his wife nagging him about it. (Which I did when I returned. I mean, come on -- dirty socks on the PORCH? That’s just ghetto.)

So anyway, I fully expected to miss Miles (oh, yeah, and C.), but I didn’t think I’d break down in tears mere hours into my trip. But I did. Yep, bawled into a Delta napkin while turning away from the lady reading Jackie Collins next to me. I just didn’t want to get into it with a complete stranger, you know? I think it was the dad holding his young son’s hand in the next row that set me off. So sweet.

Anyway, I rallied and realized I had five straight hours to myself on the plane before I met up with my friends in Portland. I haven’t spent that many consecutive hours alone and seated for the past 13 months. Seriously. Not once. I didn’t know what to do with myself. After listening to all the songs on my iPod and reading one and a half magazines, I contemplated chatting up the Jackie Collins lady.

But I remained alone with my thoughts instead. I thought about how I’d get to sleep in a nice big bed that someone else had to make ALL BY MYSELF. Soak in the hot tub at the hotel ALL BY MYSELF. Go to the bathroom ALL BY MYSELF.

Of course, I wasn’t alone the whole weekend. I had a great time with the girls. I got to sit down, eat breakfast, and linger over coffee without my mug being pried out of my hands by inquisitive little fingers. I got to go shopping and try on clothes without wheeling a stroller into the handicapped dressing room and prying clothes hangers out of the aforementioned inquisitive little fingers. I got to have entire conversations without interrupting to shout, “No, that doesn’t go in your mouth” or “Doggies don’t like that” or “Remote controls don’t float!”

By the time I got home, I was dying to see my boys again. Miles was running around barefoot in gym shorts. ESPN was blaring. Socks were on the porch. And everybody was glad to see Mom.

TIP O’ THE WEEK: Leave a little surprise or two hidden around the house when you’re traveling. When you phone your husband and/or kids, give them clues to find the goodies.