October 26, 2023

I've mentioned this before, but I feel like we have achieved a very luxurious stage in parenting. I will preface this by saying I spend most of my parenting wondering why Duke is always making sounds (talking usually, but otherwise just...producing sounds). But in general, he is sugar-sweet enough to not be embarrassed of his parents, yet independent enough to manage himself. It's a real treat. 

The upcoming final season of The Crown has reignited my fever for the show. Because of the long breaks between seasons, I decided to rewatch the series to refresh my memory, starting at the very beginning when Claire Foy and Matt Smith glower and grin at each other intermittently for two years. Matt Smith is my favorite Duke of Edinburgh. 

Anyway, twice this weekend, I retired to my bedroom early in the afternoon to indulge in a binge session, leaving Duke to play with his Legos or paint, unsupervised, at the kitchen table. That last one seemed risky, but happily, he managed himself, even cleaning up the tiny pots of paint when he was finished. He wandered into the bedroom a few times, but I was being boring, so he quickly wandered right back out. 

Parenting is a lesson in humility for sure, but also patience. It has taken this long to exist in my home, just as my regular self, with the small freedoms to enjoy something so basic as a TV show without being interrupted 75 times for snacks, or root around in the laundry basket to find someone's favorite camo pants, or investigate weird crashes from the main floor. I'm starting to indulge in glimpses of my former self. I have been a caretaker with brief reprieves for a handful of years now and I often joke that I clock out of my day job and then quickly clock into my night job every day. Of course it's consuming, but the load is lightening. 

I was with Ryan's sister over the weekend and her daughter has recently grown up and moved away to college. The gist of our conversation was evolution too, because after years of nurturing someone who needs you so much, they just...they fly away. And then what? I guess you get to watch as many episodes of whatever you want for as long as you want. But also you begin excavating your former self from the years of burying her in responsibilities, and that's hard work and hard emotions, too. 

It's all a phase, after all. I cleared season 1 and I'm making headway into season 2.  I'm lingering now because as it turns out, I'm far more invested in Margaret's woes with love than I am with Charles and Diana, who just exhaust me with their bickering. 

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More fun things on the internet 

Have you watched The Crown? Obviously I highly recommend it. 10 out of 10. 

Fun cocktails to enjoy in these lingering weeks of fall. 

I love this "pop of red" purse from J Crew. 

Ooh interesting. What's something you've tried once and wouldn't do again? Mine is Disney World. 

I love a seasonal puzzle. I'm lingering over this one currently - should be done just in time for Halloween (see the picture below - very timely).

Related: I really like this one for kids. 

1000p planning to read Britney's memoir. 

PS - there are some affiliate links in here, but aren't they everywhere? If you click on a link, they'll throw me a couple pennies for our combined hardwork, so I guess click with caution.