No Time Off For Good Behavior

This afternoon started off rough.  When I went to get Julianne at Sammie's, she got mad because she didn't want to leave and started hitting me and threw her juice cup.  I had a feeling it was only going to get worse, and it did.

She threw a fit almost the whole way home.  She wanted my phone, she wanted cheese balls, she wanted out of the seat, she wanted to know the secrets of the universe, I don't know.  All I know is that I wish, just ONCE, I could drive home from work without her screaming in the backseat.  I know I've done that a couple times when she's gone with her dad, but what I really want is to leave work, drive home, and have her waiting there to meet me.  I really miss my quiet car rides home before she was born when I could decompress from the school day.  It's hard being the sole caretaker - I'm the ONLY one there is to pick her up and bring her home, so I can't rely on anyone else to do it for me, not even once in a while.

When we got home, we went to the playground for a bit, which was fun, but then I could smell pot smoke - I have no idea who was smoking it because I couldn't see anyone anywhere, even on patios - but the smell was definitely there so I scooped Julianne up to come home.  She was none too pleased.  She wanted to keep playing.  Once we got inside I just wanted to get some stuff done - tidying up, dishes, etc.  She had other plans - namely chasing after me, crying and whining to be held.  I was so frustrated. 

I am so jealous of my married friends - one parent to do the tidying, one to entertain the little one.  Even if there's no cleaning to be done, one parent can sit and just relax, which is what I'd really like to do sometimes when I come home.  I don't want to have to worry about dinner, I don't want to have to worry about getting the dishes done, I don't want to do anything but put my butt on the couch and watch a Law & Order re-run. 

No such luck when you're a single mom.