Single Dadding in the Time of COVID

So by now, most of us are probably bored out of our minds being stuck at home.  While I still have to go in to work (being mission-essential and all), the girls are definitely getting tired of being cooped up in the house most of the weekend.  But, pandemic or not, good parenting never stops and we are still driving on with our routine (albeit a safer one).

Considering that we are semi-confined to Fort Huachuca and our homes, I have surprisingly not been getting a lot of writing done.  Part of the reason is that I need to keep these girls fed, disciplined, and entertained.  And as easy as it would be to just turn on the TV or hand them their tablets and say “See you two at dinner,” that is in no way the right answer.

First, they have been trampolining a lot.  And I mean A LOT.  That was an amazing purchase, especially considering that I bought it two weeks before we went on lock-down, thinking that we may be stuck at home at some point.  So they wake up in the morning and jump.  Get home from school and jump.  In between lunch and dinner, jump.  After they brush their teeth… they ask me to jump.

And it is pretty funny because all the neighbor kids are jumping on their trampolines too, talking or screaming to one another while they bounce.

As stated before, the girls as still going to the Child Development Center while I go to work.  They are more or less dressing themselves now, which is leading to some truly crazy combinations.  Elaina with her bandanas and Gabriella with her boots.

On the weekends though, we are trying desperately to stay busy and sane.  The girls wanted to give the cats a bath, and since the vote was three to “meow,”  those cats got nice and clean.

By the time of this writing, we have played every kids game in our closet at least a dozen times.  So close to throwing Don’t Break the Ice in the garbage… so close.

And we make forts.  Because if you have not made a fort yet, objectively, you are doing “quarantine” wrong.

We have also baked a ton, and I do mean “we.”  The girls have helped me make cupcakes, scones, spoonbread, soup, and too many cookies to count.  If this keeps up, they are going to be amazing chefs and bakers come October.

Bring out every single stuffed animal that we own for a puppet show?  Done it!

But, we still need to leave our home sometimes, usually to go to the commissary to pick up provisions… I mean, food… you see, I am even starting to talk like a prepper… look what have you done to us, COVID!

Gabriella usually sports her Troll mask that my colleague’s wife made her (I have my Harry Potter mask too; thanks, Mom, but I am a Ravenclaw, NOT a Slytherin).

And the girls really like to pretend that they are toilet paper on the mostly empty paper aisle at the commissary (there was actually a few four-packs of generic rolls there this week, so there may be a light at the end of the normally toilet paper-absent tunnel).

We have been hiking a few times, but although the girls are getting bigger, my ability to carry them both at the same time is slowly waning.  And since they don’t like to walk, that really puts the hiking part on me.

Our newest thing is to order from Jeannie’s Diner and head down to pick up of food in the wagon.  The girls either eat the food on the way back or we find a quiet, shaded area to sit down and eat.  The girls get fed and I get into a workout, so everybody wins.

And on the way back, I take them up the heritage trail with all the old pictures of Fort Huachuca, which surprisingly, the girls really enjoy.

And we filled my boss’ office with balloons for his birthday, because it is fun and it keeps us busy and sane.  Whether it is a month or a year, we will make it through this; it just takes a little effort to make the best out of it.

Thanks for checking in on us.

Cheers!