The Life of a Single Mom

The single-mom blog is a blog that I have created to share life events that I have experienced and experience as a single mom.

May 16, 2008, Yeah it is Friday!

I am so happy that it is Friday and a long weekend. Not that this week was really long because Wednesday I got a call from Daycare saying my daughter sick. When I got there my daugther was playing and seemed quite fine. She ran over and said `I threw up, I think I drank my juice too fast!`

So instead of spending the day with a sick little girl we had lots of fun. We went shopping, had a picnic and went to the library. It was such a nice break to spend the day off doing fun stuff!

Have a great weekend.

May 2, 2008, I know, I know....

So I said I would be updating this more often than I have... What can I say? I could list all my reasons but it would like a million excuses!

Anyways since I have been gone I have done so many things. I have started a new job, started a part time business or two, and written a book.

The book is the one I am most proud of. I wanted to be able to give all of my visitors something of value. I raked my brain for months trying to figure out what that would be.

Then it hit me! We are all short on cash so why not share the ways that I generate extra cash. Initially I was going to sell this book, but I have decided that I want to give it out for free because I know extra cash is hard to find.

If you missed the pop up when you first came to the site just click on the link at the bottom of the page. If you have any suggestions please feel free to send them my way to jen@thesinglemommy.com

May 2, 2008, I know, I know....

So I said I would be updating this more often than I have... What can I say? I could list all my reasons but it would like a million excuses!

Anyways since I have been gone I have done so many things. I have started a new job, started a part time business or two, and written a book.

The book is the one I am most proud of. I wanted to be able to give all of my visitors something of value. I raked my brain for months trying to figure out what that would be.

Then it hit me! We are all short on cash so why not share the ways that I generate extra cash. Initially I was going to sell this book, but I have decided that I want to give it out for free because I know extra cash is hard to find.

If you missed the pop up when you first came to the site just click on the link at the bottom of the page. If you have any suggestions please feel free to send them my way to jen@thesinglemommy.com

Feb 20, 2008, Is is really February??

Unreal. I thought I made a promise to blog at least once a week, not once a month! Oh well, I am here now so that is all that matters.

This past weekend my daughter was invited to her first birthday party. We were out doing some grocery shopping and when we came home I listened to the phone messages. My daughter heard the message about the birthday party loud and clear. She immediately starts running around like a chicken with her head cut off.

Once I calm her down I explain that next weekend is her turn to go to 'Daddy's', then the tears and lip start. But I really, really want to go to the party. I said we will have to ask daddy. We called but there was no answer so we left a message. I managed to distract her long enough that she would fall asleep that night.

The next morning the little angel wakes me up at 6:00 a.m. so we can call Dad again to find out about the birthday party. After a little negotiating we managed to convince Dad that she could go to the party.

I wonder what will happen when weekend sports start or when she starts school in the fall??

Jan 30, 2008, Not wanting to go....

So my daughter has been having this ongoing issue of not wanting to go to her dads house anymore. First there was the kicking and screaming fights about not wanting to go.

Then there was the really awful behavior when she would get home from the weekend with her dad.

Now the latest is throwing up! The poor little girl is getting herself so stressed out that she is making her self sick. The worst part is there isn't a whole lot I can do.

If I don't let her go then her dad will call the police in order to enforce the court order. Which isn't a great option because my daughter is already afraid of the police. So basically I have to bribe her to go. It really breaks my heart that at three she is getting this stressed out.

I am also upset with her father because he doesn't appear to care that she is getting physically sick about not wanting to go. He claims that it is his right to see her (which it is) and that is all that matters. I tried offering him the opportunity to come up once a week to spend the day with her until she is wanting to go back for sleepovers. He didn't like that suggestion either.

It is really challenging when ex's are so difficult to deal with!!

Jan 21, 2008, Skiing

Yesterday I decided to take my daughter skiing for the first time. She was quite upset when we got there because she realized that she didn't have skis. After we rented them she was okay. I put her skis on first thinking she would have a hard time with it, then I put my on and looked up and she was half way to the hill!

We got to the bunny hill and I convinced her that we were going up the hill together. We went down once together without any problems and the second time going down she wanted to go by herself. I let her go and tried to stay behind her, I had to really speed up when she was headed straight for a little boy. I managed to catch her and steer the other way before we hit him.

Next time we go we will be using rope so that she can ski in front of me but I can hold on to her!

Jan 14, 2008, Swimming vs. Dancing

Who knew that a three year old could be so opinionated. She woke up the other morning and has decided that she wants to do swimming lessons. I told her that she couldn't do both dance and swimming so she picked swimming lessons. She didn't want to go to pre-school till this was resolved, so I promised to call to inquire about swimming lessons that day. Well I don't think she was in the car for more than two minutes after I picked her up from day care and she was wanting to know if I called about swimming lessons. This all happened before Christmas and I thought she might forget about it, but I was wrong again. She is asking a couple times a week for swimming lessons. I thought that I could get away with taking her to public swimming but she has made it very clear that she doesn't want me coming in the water with her. So tonight we will sit down and discuss to make sure that it is really swimming that she wants to do. I never imagined having a conversation this detailed with a three year old!

Dec 15, 2007, Tobogganing

Since we have been so caught up in the Christmas season and parties my daughter and I have forgotten to stop and have some fun. Last night as we were cuddling on the couch and watching t.v. I thought it would be fun to go tobogganing. Last winter my daughter was still pretty little and really didn't enjoy winter because by the time she had her snow suit and hats and mitts on she could barely move.

This is year is much different. Despite all the winter clothes she can still motor pretty fast. So I figured a little outdoor fun was in order. I figured that I would spend my whole time carrying her up the hill, but no she is a little trooper....

The first couple times down the hill we went together and I pulled the sled back up the hill. Then she decided that she wanted to go on her own. I got her on the sled and aimed her in a direction that wasn't very steep. As I let go the sled veered the other direction straight for the jump, as I am running down the hill trying to stop her the sled turns back towards the gentle slope. I am sitting half way down the hill waiting for her to yell at me to come and get her, however I was wrong again. She gets off the sled and starts walking up the hill sled in tow. Pretty neat considering the fact that the sled is twice her size.

Dec 10, 2007, Life is getting back to normal.. oh wait Christmas is in two weeks!

Just when I thought we were getting into a normal routine I looked at the calendar and realized that Christmas is in two weeks. That is crazy... My daughter has been bugging me to put the Christmas decorations. Which leads me to thinking about Christmas shopping and I realize that I am not done yet, then there is the Christmas baking.. It never ends.

I had wanted to skip Christmas this year and go south however that didn't seem to happen either. I guess the only thing to do is just do it!

Dec 4, 2007, Snowed In and my daughter isn't here...

So it is now Monday night and my daughter still isn't home. Her father picked her up Friday night and drove a two hour drive in 5 hours due to weather conditions. He than called Sunday morning to say that the freezing rain was too bad and he would bring her back Monday. Then on Monday he calls from his girlfriends house to say that it is snowing really bad and he thinks it would be best to bring her home tomorrow morning!! Aghh!!

Sorry just needed to vent all that. The lesson learned here is that he can't be trusted. Sunday, the day of the freezing rain he decides to drive 45 minutes to go stay at his girlfriends house with my daughter.

Okay now I am really done. I would much rather her be safe. I miss her a lot. I have at least been able to talk to her most days. She isn't much of a phone person these days but I have talked to her twice..

Off to bed so I can be well rested when she comes home tomorrow!!!

Nov 30, 2007, Who Are You and Where is My Daughter?

So everyday this week my daughter has pretended to be someone else from daycare. Today she was Tessa. It is pretty funny that she has kept this name changing going all week but the best part is she goes through all of her stuff and pretends like she has never seen it before. She will then ask if she can use it or if my real daughter would be upset.

She also has a great fashion sense. She is a very strong willed, independent child so instead of fighting with her all the time I pick the battles. One of the battles that I let her win is I let her get dressed by herself in the morning. The rule is as long as the clothes are appropriate for the season she can wear them. So today she wore leotards and a hockey jersey. Her little group of friends at daycare have a hockey club so we were very rushed to get out the door this morning so that she could show all her friends her jersey.

She is going to her dad's tomorrow so I probably won't have any funny stories to share or advice till Sunday.

Have a great weekend!

Nov 29, 2007, Dance Class and School

Wednesday nights are the weekly ballet lesson night. I had to go to school tonight so my daughter is going to ballet with my dad tonight. This is the first time he has taken her to dance so it will be interesting.

When I dropped off my daughters dance outfit before leaving for school my dad said "so can you explain how it all goes on?" I thought it was pretty self explanatory but..... So I am anxious to hear how dance went with grandpa.

It is also nearing the time when my daughter goes to visit her dad. Normally by this time of the week she is asking when she gets to see him; however there has been no mention so far. The last time her dad picked her up she didn't want to go and was quite upset. As much as I hate seeing her go with her dad it is so much easier when she wants to go. I shall keep you updated on how Friday goes...

Nov 20, 2007, Here comes Santa

Well the big day is here! No, not Christmas. My little girl is going to see Santa. She spent an hour last night wrapping her present to take to Santa. (I must remember to buy more tape - it was ALL used to wrap the present).

There hasn't been a year yet that she hasn't wanted to sit on his knee. Last year it wasn't Santa that was scary it was the elves!

I will add more to this after the Santa visit. Does anyone else have any Santa stories?