Today marked the third week of life without Lauren, which means we're halfway through our six-week nanny hiatus. Months ago, Lauren was awarded a prestigious internship on a blockbuster film which is par for the course when your nanny is literally superwoman.

 
I figured with the book finished I would take advantage of my stay-at-home-momness and plan daily adventures around town. A morning at the beach here, a library adventure there, drinking 40's of Olde E with Archer on the stoop, etc. I figured it would be good for me to peel myself from my computer and go on fantastic adventures with my son, who now officially knows every animal sound there is, including the centipede: Eeeeeaaaaeeeeeeiiiiiii! (I also had no idea that a centipede made that noise. Did you? It kind of seems right, though. Centipedes seem like they might of the shrieking variety. )

 

 
Unfortunately, regardless of how cute Archer has become, er, continues to be, mama needs some good old-fashioned time to herself. To work, sure. But also to shop for bras or whatever. (ed: Have you ever gone bra-shopping with a two-year-old? Now THAT's a fun outing. Especially when you have to chase a toddler out of the dressing room and into Vicki's Secret topless. I mean, Girl's Gone Wild I am not. No matter what other blogs claim otherwise.)

 
At any rate, a girl can really get used to spreading her wings after five-months of nanny-keeping.  And to be honest, after weeks of no-nanny time, I'm beginning to feel like I've been grounded. Grounded in the "you're grounded for being out past curfew" way. Not the "I feel so balanced" way. Because it was a relief like no other knowing that no matter what happened in the morning, tantrums, et al, I would have three late afternoons a week all to myself-- gallivanting in far-off lands with fascinating kinfolk to work on my laptop at the coffee shop. To grocery shop in peace. To climb a tree if I felt the urge just to sit in one for a while.

 
The good new is that before today the glass was half-empty but now it's half-full because before we know it (three-weeks! three-weeks! woo!) she'll be back. And I can go re-bra-shopping! And work! And climb trees by myself!

I can only hope that when Lauren leaves the fashionable life of Harrison Ford and Cate Blanchett she won't be totally disappointed with our not-quite-so-glamorous lifestyle, and sparse craft services table kitchen cupboards. Rice cakes and Vinta crackers anyone?

Because our home is where sippy-cups and cheerios in the cushions and Sesame Street marathons  the heart is. And I have a feeling that even though Archer is quite high-maintenance, he's nothing like some of those movie-star people. Well, minus his whole "I only eat white M&M's" thing.

 

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