Hi, My name is Mommy and I am a Starbucks Pumpkin Latte Addict.

My addiction began 2 weeks ago when the temperatures went from seasonably pleasant to frickin’ cold here in NH. My husband has been traveling for work for 11 weeks now…pretty much Monday through Friday...although some weeks he stops by for a quick visit midweek. We never know in advance when these midweek quick stops are going to occur, so it tends to throw our routine a bit off. Princess is in kindergarten and little BamBam goes to day care (although, don't call it that to him...he insists it is "school", like his big sister).  I am supposed to be at home working 20+ hours a week in order to pay for said kindergarten and daycare.  Things that have come up over the last 11 weeks while I'm supposed to be working: flu, 4 dentist appointments, 2 dog grooming sessions, 4 field trips, lunch/recess duty on Wednesdays, dropping Princess from full day to half day kindergarten on Mondays and Fridays, blogging...etc...etc...

Princess and BamBam started sleeping with me again about a week after THE Daddy started traveling. One day I came home to find the front door ajar. Perhaps I didn’t shut it tight and/or the dogs jumped on it. I was a little freaked…alone with the kids and dogs. During our “good night” call to THE Daddy, he asks, “Did you check out the basement…are you sure there’s nobody hiding in the house?” Now, every bad horror movie has a scene where someone is walking around in the dark checking out a bump they heard in the night…only to be greeted by some killer/monster with a sharp object. I always find myself angry wondering why they do this because no one in their right mind would walk towards danger instead of away from it. Needless to say, the kids and dogs slept in the Master Bedroom with me for the next couple of nights…and have refused to sleep by themselves in their own rooms since. They don’t share the bed well. I often wake up with someone on my back or little feet in my face. I love my kids, but I have never been a feet person. I need my room back. I'm tired of playing musical beds all night long.  I just don’t have the energy to fight that battle right now.

I dread our mornings. It’s still pitch dark when I get up at 6:30am to sneak in my shower before the kids and dogs wake up. Whoever thought that it would be a great idea to mess with the whole daylight savings time thing should die a horrible and painful death. They obviously do not live in NH. It’s hard enough to drag my butt out of bed in the dark, try explaining to little ones that, yes, it still looks like nighttime, but if they don’t get out of bed right now they will be late for school..

Which gets me to my new addiction...we have a BRAND NEW Starbucks 5 minutes away from the house. It has a drive thru window. I was exhausted and near delirious when I got my first fix.
One latte won’t hurt anything. I need something to keep me awake while I work and run around after school getting Princess to Theatre Class and keeping BamBam from self-destructing in front of the other mothers. I’m not a Saint. I can’t do this alone.
WOW…it was warm…and yummy…and the caffeine rush was almost instant.  I now find myself needing a daily fix…I plan my day around getting to Starbucks.  I'm drinking one as I write this post.

My addiction is very specific. I’ve tried substitutes, to no avail. I’ve even tried Dunkin Donuts version of a Pumpkin Latte, which is closer to the house and half the price. It tasted like gasoline and hurt going down. Normally, coffee hurts my stomach and too much caffeine gives me the jitters. Starbuck’s Pumpkin Latte is pure bliss. For a brief moment, I DO have the energy to do it all.  I am SuperMommy.  SuperMommy's world is going to come crashing down when fall is over and they move onto other flavors. I wonder if there is a Pumpkin Latte Addiction Hotline? Support Groups?

What’s your poison?  Please share in the comments.

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