Desperate house...husband?

Okay, before I begin let me just say that I have got to be married to one of the best men in the world. Shane is handsome and loving, considerate, patient, supportive, hard working, funny, a great father and always willing to help me out. In fact, that is what he was doing this evening.

I ducked out at 5:45 to go to my 'balance' class at the gym, leaving him with the two girls and dinner half way prepared. I had just fed charlotte and put her into bed, so she should be off to sleep soon. Esther and him had just come in from playing in the yard and she needed to eat, have a bath and get ready for bed. I told Shane that the potatoes had about 5 mins to go (boiling on the stove) the corn was in the microwave and when it was done another piece had to be cooked (2mins each side) the salmon was frying on the stove too and needed a couple more minutes. I was tempted to remind him (maybe for the third time) as I was walking out the door, about the potatoes and that they were almost done. After all it had been a lot of instructions and I thought it wouldn't hurt to remind him what the first one was. No, I don't want to patronise him, he can handle it, they are bubbling away on the stove next to the salmon, hard to miss...

So I enjoyed a lovely hour of stretching and strengthening at balance with a few friends and was dropped home just before 7. Hmmm the house was undoubtedly in a far worse state than when I had left. Well, that is perhaps unfair, Shane had started to fold laundry. It was just all over the living room floor, but half way there, no probs. It was quiet. I could hear Esther splashing in the laundry tub out back and Shane talking to her. I will just check on Charlotte... Not in her bed, not on our bed. 'Shane' I called out, 'Where's Charlotte?'.

'Wouldn't you like to know?' came his reply from out back. I went outside to see what he meant; there was Charlotte, strapped to Shane's chest in the baby carrier, while Shane was in the process of washing Esther's hair. It looked so ridiculously and desperetely domestic that I cracked up laughing.

'it's either this or she's screaming' replied the normally resilient-to-screaming Shane. Charlotte was looking a little red eyed. 'How was dinner' I asked. 'I burnt the potatoes' he replied. 'What?! How did you burn BOILED potatoes?' I started laughing again. 'the water evaporated' was his matter of fact reply. By this time I was towelling down Esther (who's hair was still full of soap). I kept looking at Shane and laughing at him carrying around Charlotte, imagining the whole chaotic scene unfolding...Getting Esther organised for the bath, Charlotte screaming, potatoes burning... Explained the half folded laundry sprawled around the living room. Shane was calm, cool and collected, as always, despite the fuss unravelling about him.

The whole situation made me feel better in a way. It IS a challenge to look after a toddler and a baby, clean up, keep THEM clean, get everyone fed and fold the laundry and sometimes it all doesn't get done (ok, a lot of times it all doesn't get done!). I appreciate Shane's willingness to do it all while I am out, giving me some much needed time and space. It helps me to see to, that I am doing alright at it all and getting better all the time. It is fun to see him trying to juggle the slightly less familiar tasks that I am doing all day long. It's amusing to see how we handle things differently and also how we can compliment each other; Shane stays calm in the face of chaos and I make sure the food doesn't get burnt! :)