The storm and the screaming

We are in the middle of what the weather people keep reminding us is an historic storm here in the Boston area.  I was skeptical, but yes indeed, it's pretty bad looking out there, and they keep saying it's going to get a lot worse.  Driving has been banned, and it's a little cool looking at the major road we live on almost empty---like a tiny taste of living on a back road for just tonight.  I'm able to enjoy the view and the storm because Tony made it home.  He was away all week, and had to fly back into Boston today, which was a very, very iffy proposition.  He got an earlier flight than he planned, and made it home around 1 pm.  I was thrilled to see him.  Janey didn't have an extra bad week, but being a single parent even for a week of the three kids---it's more than I can do.  Or I shouldn't say that, because if I had to do it, I'd do it.  I'm being just like the "I don't know how you do it" people.  But I'm glad I don't have to do it.  It's very hard.  I don't get a break in the night when she wakes, I don't have some to ask to watch her for a while so I can rest or work, I don't have someone to laugh instead of cry with, I don't have a co-worker in the incredibly tough job that is Janey parenting.

Janey missed Tony.  It's hard to say how she feels, exactly, about him being gone, but I tried to prepare her, and then, throughout the week, remind her as I picked her up at school that he was "gone on an airplane trip, but Daddy will come back"  I made up a few songs, and repeated the basic message as much as I could---Daddy is gone for a while, but he will come back.  Today, when I knew he'd be home in just a few minutes, I told her "Guess who is coming home from their airplane trip?" and she said "Is it Daddy?"  I was thrilled with that.  I haven't heard her ask that kind of question before.

She was very happy to see Daddy, but within a few hours was screaming more than she had for a while.  I'm guessing it's a few things combined.  The weather is weird, and she must see that.  She was excited to the point of overexcited to be with Tony, and that can turn fairly quickly into overwhelmed screaming with her.  She also probably expected them to go out someplace right away, as they often do---an exciting trip to the store or something---and we are banned by law from going anyplace right now!  A little part of it might have had nothing to do with Tony.  She was playing for the first time in a while with the talking robot doll I got her for Christmas, and the doll, Serefina, says "If you're there, SAY SOMETHING!" which she kept repeating.  I asked her if that was scaring her, and told her we could put the doll away, and it might have been coincidence, but that seemed to calm her down.  I don't know if she totally gets that the doll isn't alive, and by coincidence, she's been watching Toy Story lately, which could possible put the idea of living toys in her head.  Who knows?  It's like a complex guessing game or mystery figuring out what is in her head, and one that has no answer key, so I never know for sure if I get it right.

We'll be riding out the storm for a few days here.  I hope we get through it without too much insanity.  I'm very thankful we're all together and warm and have enough food to last us.  Hope anyone else in the path of this winter monster does too!