Parched

Two weeks ago I was in St. Louis. By myself. Well, not actually by myself, but I was without any of the children who call me Mommy! For three whole days I poured not one single cup of apple juice, and swept nary a Cheerio off the kitchen floor. It was a blissful break. I slept as long as I wanted, I took showers with the bathroom door closed. It is amazing what three days of no cleaning, cooking or diaper changing will do for your skin.

Now that I am home, the combination of 4 small, dirty, hungry children and the dry winter air have taken their toll. My hands have been spontaneously bleeding in three different spots over the last week. I try to moisturize, but literally minutes later I am washing my hands again because I have either just changed a diaper, or I am getting somebody a snack, or I just cleaned some dirty mess. Moisturizer. Some women dream of massages and facials, spa weekends as a chance to pamper themselves. I'll settle for a bottle of Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion.