Mother's Day

I was lamenting over my elevated stress level yesterday on Facebook and someone suggested I journal these experiences with my kids that are driving me insane so I thought I'd record yesterday's events here for your entertainment.

I woke up to Jathan at my bedside speaking quiet loudly (volume control is not his strong suit) about how he lost his penny and how I needed to go find it. I tried to get him to quiet down because Ryland was obviously still sleeping and Mommy likes that to last as long as possible. I also tried to explain to Jathan that he had been in charge of his money--a fact that he'd been THRILLED about 24 hours earlier--and that he would have to find it himself. Teaching stewardship to a three-year old? Not easy. So it ended up that Ryland woke up.

When I went to get Ryland from his bed, I noticed he had what looked like a smooshed Reese's cup in his hand. "Did you give Ryland candy?" I asked Jathan. It was not candy. It was the result of his putting his hand down his dirty diaper. Thank God it was only on his hand!

I cleaned him up and got breakfast ready (Keeleigh was at a friend's house already) then began my daily ritual of saying, "Get down, Ryland. Get down. Get down." Eventually the boys ended up playing in their room for a little while and I sat down to knit. Then Jathan came bringing me his busted snowglobe. Ryland had thrown it and, though it was plastic, it had cracked and now GLITTERY water was all over the floor. Thankfully, Ryland had seen fit to drag the clothes out of his drawers to wipe it up for me.

Then I absolutely forced them to play with their toys. RiDiCuLoUs. I had to actually say, "Get the helicopter out. Jathan, you show Ryland how it works. Put the balls through the top!" Does anyone else have to coach their kids through playing? They would have much rather sat with me on the bed! And yet Jathan begs for toys each and every day. I am trying to be strong. Trying to say he can only get toys on his birthday or at Christmas (don't feel sorry for him--his room is literally overflowing with toys!) but I do give in sometimes especially at the Dollar Tree. But yesterday I gathered up several things from his room and from Keeleigh's that will soon be carted away to the SWAP shop. I'm sort of sad to see his dry-erase table go because it was so cute in his room and he got it for Christmas one year but it is very rarely used and really just in the way. I'm trying not to be attached to things even when they have memories attached to them. Afterall, when the things are gone, the wonderful memories will remain.

So while I was making the boys play with their toys, I talked to my mom and told her I was sending some pictures to her local Walgreens for her to pick up. Then I got on the computer to send them. Jathan had asked to blow bubbles into the bathtub and I assumed that's what was happening in the bathroom. Then I started hearing giggles. Loud giggles. Then big splashes. And I knew there was only one place they could be splashing: the toilet. I ran in there and they had splashed pee water (Jathan doesn't flush!) everywhere. Jathan's clothes were soaked as was the rug. It was on the walls all the way to the door. I tried to clean it but if you visit my house and think my bathroom smells funky, thank the boys!

I have to admit at this point in my day, I lost it. I was texting Jackie through tears about how the children hated me. The boys sat in the bathtub while I sat and cried.

Then we moved on. I fixed lunch, we ate, and the boys went to sleep. Angels descended and sang a hallelujah chorus--softly, of course. Wouldn't want to wake Jathan and Ryland!

After naptime I had a plan. I would let Jathan play a game on the computer (tried Starfall but he wanted NickJr.) while I played with Ryland in his baby-gated room. Except before I managed to get Ryland behind the baby gate, he climbed up to the computer and scribbled on the screen with a pencil that was laying there. It was only a few little marks so I wiped it off and took him to his room where I taught him the joys of barnyard bowling. Oh yeah, it's fun to make things crash loudly. Sorry, neighbors!

I spent the next 30 minutes or so walking back and forth between there and the computer to help Jathan. The last time I went to check on Jathan I saw IT. He had taken Ryland's idea of scribbling on the computer screen and ran with it. There were marks all over it! I scrubbed and scrubbed calmly while delivering the worst message a child can hear--just wait until your daddy gets home.

Upon hearing that Jathan was intent on having a snack. I think he thought it might be his last meal or something. But supper was almost ready and it was smelling good. Yes, somehow I'd managed to cook chicken and wild rice (thank you, crock pot!) and some homemade yeast rolls which are sure to improve even the worst day.

Then Jackie got home *free* Redbox movie in hand and I knew I was saved!

Today Jackie decided to skip church and take the kids all by his lonesome on an all-day outing leaving me at home for peace, quiet, and relaxation. I can imagine what he was thinking yesterday during my frantic texts. "I'd better do something quick before she runs away and leaves them all WITH ME!" Ha, ha. So now I'm here. Alone. For the first time in God knows when. Aaaaaaah.

Happy Mother's Day!