Soloing...

So Dear Wife is at a medical conference (read: road trip with the Sisterhood of the Traveling Scrubs) and I've got The Hudster for a solid four-day daddy-only roadblock--weekend through Tuesday.

For what it's worth, I was actually primary caregiver for Hudson for several early months due to a career transition (insert euphemism of choice), and Hudson's still experiencing an estimated 5:4 ratio of daddycare to mommycare, due to my more flexible work arrangement. (To be fair, the real ratio is probably more like 5 parts daddy, 4 parts mommy, 3 parts daycare, 2 parts grandma, and 1 part Bob the Builder.)

In any case, soloing is no big deal, even for a four-day stretch. We manage to stick to schedule fairly well, even if I occasionally have to juggle making breakfast and phone calls, and even if it means more after-sleepytime-hours grinding on my part than usual. He's still demanding that a parental unit sit with him until he dozes off, but he's fine with my bringing my laptop into the room and touchtyping in the dark (although last night, I woke up with a start at 3 am in his room, my left cheek bearing the distinct imprint of my lappie's keyboard).

It helps to fill the big time blocks with structured activities, however. Saturday we went to get muffins at Blue Sky Bakery, then to the playground, then to my sister's place for him to play with his cousin Evan and stare at his new baby cousin Sienna. Pizza for dinner, then LeapPad and two books, then sleep.

Sunday was a group playdate at The Bronx Zoo. The tigers and snow leopards were a hit, but the polar bear was dirty and looked stoned, the penguins were hiding from the paparazzi, and the everything cost a bunch of cash. Lovely day and the kids had a great time, but since when did a trip to the zoo cost as much as a trip to Six Flags? Pics here, if anyone's curious. Hudson's in the yellow, and yes, he's smoove wit da ladies in a way his daddy never was.

I know four days isn't really that long. The "structured activity" ideas I have probably could stretch about 10 days, before my career and/or sanity starts taking a hit. Fortunately, I doubt I'll need to go without collaborative parenting for much longer than that. Still, any of you fellow Ricepops and/or moms have long-term soloing stories or cool full-day activity sugestions to share?

Note: I can feel SAHD's and SAHM's palpable lack of sympathy through the web connection. :)