My Saturday on my own

This past weekend Jonathan was away in Fredericton at Synod. So I had the task of getting myself and both boys ready to pick him up. Elijah is fairly easy to get ready, once you convince him not to stay in his pyjamas all day. I also had muffins and bananas on hand for breakfast so that was easy...or should be until Jeremy woke up and needed to eat so I basically handed the muffin container to Elijah and let him go at 'er. After Jeremy was happily fed, I started to get his bath ready, reminding myself continuously not to forget to bring his towel with me because there was no other adult in the house to rescue me. As I'm on my way to the tub with Jeremy and a towel, I hear a cry of "I need help please." Elijah is coming towards me carrying the jug of chocolate milk. My first thought is exasperation, but he says "please Mommy, I can't do it"...and I look and see he also has a sippy cup out and the regular milk out to pour half and half. So I put Jeremy down and help Elijah out. After getting Jeremy successfully in the bath, congratulating myself on having a towel close at hand I realise I have no washcloth. The only person who can help me out is Elijah. So I call out "Elijah, can you please get Mommy a baby washcloth?" "I can't" "Yes you can, please go now" "I'm just busy dancing now" rrrrgggghhhh! After some convincing and threats of toys taken away he finally gives in. I finish getting Jeremy ready. I get Elijah resettled with 321 Penguins on, Jeremy happily babbling away to his mobile animals and here's the trick of the day, attempt to get my own shower in. Just as I'm about to shampoo I hear, a crying baby...shoot...ouch! shampoo in my eye (when do I ever do that?) "mom, baby is crying!" comes the shout from the hall. "I know" as I frantically rinse the stinging shampoo out of my eye. So I finally get finished and dressed and race to the crib to find a smiling baby cooing...he had self soothed. Okay, deep breath. I move Jeremy to the bassinet by my bed a begin to fold the laundry and then Jeremy does something I'd only read about in books, he fell asleep on his own in his bassinet. Not nursing, not rocking, not in the car, but on his own completely. I'd heard about this but I thought it was some myth made up to make parents feel inadequate. This unexpected miracle allowed me to finish the laundry and spend some time playing with Elijah before we had to truck out to Fredericton...hmmm, maybe we'll get through the 2 weeks Jonathan will be away this summer after all.