Anniversary woes

This year was the first time in the last 9 years that the hubby and I have not been together for our anniversary. He is travelling to Vienna for a conference, and well I am here. I was complaining about this to all and sundry who called to wish, mentioning that this should not be a sign of the times to come until a friend very wisely pointed out, how different would it have been if he was here given that we have two very young kids. And i agree. It was a working day and we cannot go out at night since there is only the one maid and it becomes difficult for her to manage both kids alone. And also to be honest, we are not really big anniversary people, we wish each other, sometimes give presents, if we have found something the other person likes, and maybe go out for dinner, if it is a weekend. But nothing else really. In fact some years back we were at a friends place for dinner on our anniversary and she turned around and asked us, isnt your anniversary sometime now and we were like, ya its today, and people were quite surprised that we were ok spending it with a group of others, but really it was not big deal .So  why the anniversary woes post you ask .Mainly I like to crib and this gives me a good opportunity to vent that the hubby is not there for the anniversary blah blah. Actually thinking about it he was out of the country for my birthday as well this year...the plot thickens. He got me nice goggles for my b'day so it couldn't be to escape giving a present, maybe he doesnt like cake? which i insist on cutting for all celebrations? Anyway this year i have treated myself to two Friends season DVDs as an anniversary present for myself and the DVD of Inception for the hubby (ok that's also for me, love the movie)

Coming back to outings without kids, yesterday I had the unique opportunity to go for an adults only party (no no nothing of that sort, this was a dinner for our office at my boss place and the invitation said spouse only since they didn't want kids interrupting the conversation) with my two kids in tow. The hubby is away and i didn't have anyone to leave the kids with. I refused the invitation, but later the boss called saying i can get the kids along.I initially planned to go only for an hour, since its only 5 mins from my place. It was quite the experience i tell you, when we reacher there, S insisted that i sit with her and A in the toy room. When i made my escape after 5 mins, she started howling so i had to go back. Then luckily, she became friendly with the maid there and my boss younger son (same age) and more importantly with his toys so she allowed me to escape to the adult group for about 20 mins. A was better, if i left without her seeing me she continued to play. But if she saw S crying, then she also started crying. After about 20 mins, A started howling (she was hungry) so i had to leave  my chatter (and my wine) and go and feed her. I had cheated and got some cheese which she likes, instead of the elaborate cereal and apple dinner feed which i need help to give. While i was feeding a couple of my collagues wives came and saw the drama, and I am sure they made up their minds to delay having kids for a couple more years at least!!! One of them has a 2 year old daughter and boy was she bindaas. She happily left her mom and dad and played in the toy room, let anyone carry her (if any of my colleagues came near my girls they would both start howling!) and was quite peaceful throughout. After A's dinner i managed to get back to the chatter and the wine for another 15 mins, till this time S started howling. I think she was bored and sleepy (the boss kids had gone to sleep). A also started howling then and both of them refused to go to anyone. So there i was, sitting in the living room, with both kids of my lap. The boss wife mentioned that this reminded her of herself- she also has two young kids, who are 3 and 41/2 and it seems before sleeping/after waking up/after school they both sit on her lap. I was aghast to hear this, i thought things would improve when the girls are older!! Then of course a colleague who has daughters who are much older informed me, that this is the best time and i should wait till the girls become teenagers to see what tough times really look like. Wow!!

The kids kept crying, and A chewed up a paper puppet of the boss son. I really felt bad about this, because i really feel you should respect other people's property and not use your kids behaviour as an excuse to spoil other people's toys, but somehow with  both kids crying i could not force A to stop eating that! I managed to pacify them with some cheerios, have A her milk and when they had calmed down, left them with the boss maid for 10 mins while i quickly grabbed some dinner. Then we sat for about 10 mins in the hall, where S was climbing over all the sofas and A was trying to push the chairs, and I decided i better make my retreat before the kids do some irreperable damage. What an experience!! Thank goodness, i've already quit, otherwise i can see my performance rating dropping a couple of notches after this!