Updated: July 27, 2016
Originally Published: November 1, 2005
In Portland, summer doesn’t typically kick off until after the 5th of July. However, this year, it burst onto the scene with sizzling temperatures in the mid-90s by mid-June. Normally, I would soak up the sun after enduring our usual drizzle, but this time, my partner was off in Europe for work. That left me juggling a 100-pound Labrador and an exceptionally energetic 16-month-old, all while holding down a full-time job at a Fortune 500 company.
I’ve managed solo during his trips before, so I figured I could tackle this challenge. The heat was daunting, but I had a portable AC in my daughter’s room, and I could cope with a bit of sweat. But when she woke up at 1 a.m. on the second night and refused to go back to sleep, I sensed we were in for a tough ride. I ended up bringing her to bed with me, where the thermometer read a balmy 85 degrees. Neither of us got much sleep that night, tossing and turning until she finally dozed off around 5 a.m. I sneakily tried to fit in a workout but was only about 20 minutes into a 30-minute DVD when she woke up.
Hoping for a few more minutes of peace to prepare, I instead ended up cramming all of us—including our panting dog—into the bathroom so I could take a shower. With an offsite presentation looming, I wanted to present a polished look, but that dream faded quickly. It was all-natural, unkempt curls for me that day!
As I sat on the bathroom floor, half-drenched from the shower and playing with my daughter, my partner FaceTimed us from Europe.
“Check it out! It’s the Berlin Wall. I had some free time, so I’m exploring,” he said.
I was doing my best to listen and absorb the history of Germany while simultaneously fishing tampons out of my daughter’s mouth. Just then, our dog decided to throw up. I dropped the phone, apologized to my partner, and hurriedly dragged the dog outside. In the chaos, my daughter cried out because Mama was distressed, and I think my partner may or may not have still been on the line, listening to my morning unravel in real-time.
After finally getting everyone settled in the car, my partner called back.
“How are you holding up?” he asked.
I pride myself on being strong and capable, but this was just too much. I broke down in tears, mumbling, “The dog, the heat…”
“What can I do?” he asked, and I glanced at the clock, knowing I was minutes away from being late to my meeting.
“Can your parents come and install an AC unit?”
At 8:55 a.m., just as I pulled into the parking lot for my offsite (which started at 8:30, clearly missing breakfast), I received a text from my father-in-law asking what kind of AC unit I needed. I was trying to respond while meandering around a golf course searching for my team meeting. I stumbled into the right room at 8:59, the last person to arrive, and the only seat left was next to the vice president. It was obvious everyone had been waiting for me, so I quickly sat down, pulled out my laptop, and tried to transition from frazzled mom to polished professional. My phone buzzed non-stop with texts from my father-in-law and updates from my partner.
I apologized to the VP, briefly sharing my chaotic morning. He looked at me sincerely and quietly asked if I needed to step outside and gather myself. Being a new team member, I appreciated the offer, politely declined, and attempted to regain my composure. Meanwhile, the entire group leaned in, eager to hear about my morning saga. I ended up sharing the whole story, probably branding myself as the “crazy mom” in their minds for the foreseeable future.
The rest of the day was relatively uneventful. I made it through my presentation and daycare pickup, and thanks to my wonderful in-laws, arrived at a cool home. The next morning, my boss, a fellow mom, asked how things went. I thought she would appreciate my story, and by the time I finished sharing, she was doubled over in laughter, tears streaming down her face.
“I’m not laughing at you,” she said, “I’m laughing because I’ve been there too.”
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Summary
Claire Johnson shares a humorous yet relatable account of a chaotic morning while juggling her responsibilities as a working mom. With the unexpected heat and her partner in another country, she navigates the ups and downs of parenting, including a messy dog incident and a last-minute presentation. Despite the chaos, she finds camaraderie and understanding from her boss and learns that every mom has had her share of wild days.