I'm tellin' ya, there are times when you feel as though you've really got the mothering thing down. Your children get fed, bathed and vitamaned properly. They even wear cute, matching clothes and say yes ma'am and no sir. Then, before you know it, out of nowhere, they throw a fast one. Just when you think everybody is on a routine and knows the rules, the 2 year old who will soon be 3 decides she needs to make the most of her last few weeks of terribleness. The 5 year old pushes every boundary and the 8 year old gives you looks. You know the looks. The "I'm old enough to know better than to smart off, but I will sure give you the look". I always got in trouble for my looks when I was little. Josh assures me I still have the look. What can I say, she gets it honest. Still drives me CARAZY!
I had so many instances I was going to detail for you of how I have failed in this task of mothering, but I seriously can't even remember them. It's all a blur of emptied $8 ear cleaner and emptied bottles of brand new shampoo and unrolled toilet paper rolls, laundry and puppies, and puppy poop, and screaming over video games, and puppies, and couch cushions and pillows covered in milk and, yep, puppies. This whole week (let's pretend it's been a week since today felt like one, k?) I have been on the verge of tears, screaming, and giving in. Giving in is the worst, y'all. I hate when I do it. I'm so weak. I'm convinced that all 3 of my children will go on to law school.
Well, I don't want you to think it's all been bad. The thing is, I think it has just been rough because after dance camp we left for Georgia and so we've had weeks on end of interrupted schedules and Daddy time. I love my kid's daddy and they love him too. He is awesome and does an amazing job of taking care of our kids. But I'll just tell ya, I'm the mean one. Totally the bad cop. I never knew I would be. My Dad once told me he never knew I would be such a tough Mom. Me either. It just happened. So, I've been having to re-establish some rules. I call it having a come to Jesus meeting and oh boy, the meetings we have had! So,that's where we're at. Josh has been running a bread route since we got back from Georgia and today he went in about 2:30 this morning and got home at 9:30 tonight. For real. So, I don't think it has helped that I've pretty much been a single Mom this week. Can I implore you to go right now and hug a breadman, a single Mom, a working Mom and a stay at home Mom. Just reach out and hug 'em. They all need it. You will never find me on one side of the working vs. staying home debate. I've done them both and I personally believe that trying to decide which is harder is like asking someone "Would you rather tow your car with your pinkie toe or your pinkie finger?" It's just hard, y'all. They are different kinds of hard, but they are hard. Okay, I will get off of that soapbox. :)
Well, I totally meant for this blog to have a point, but I am quickly losing it. I just thought I would let you know that I was feeling so confident in my parenting skills that I volunteered to keep 3 more. My friend Audra (she moved and I'm still in a funk about it and one day I'll blog about it) was back in town for the weekend for a wedding and I thought it would be so much fun for the kids to get to play. Would you like to hear how crazy that was???? Okay, so you need to know these things. 1. Our door knob is broken. Like, you have to have special skills to get the door open. 2. A lady I've never met was dropping Audra's kids off at my house. 3. Daisy and the puppies are now residing in the playroom because it is complete CHAOS when they are let out to run. Okay, so Audra's friend comes to drop off the kids and her youngest is crying and doesn't want to stay with me. (She obviously has heard how my week in mothering went.) Well, while we are trying to coax her to stay with me SOMEBODY ( whose name starts with K and ends with ATE) let the puppies out. So, the older kids were totally excited because they haven't seen each other in a month and are running through the house like wild people, all 7 puppies are running everywhere and the baby is crying hysterically because really, who wants to stay at my house? I know many times this week, I haven't wanted too either. :) Well, we finally got Hannah to come to me in Sarah's room, but when the lady dropping her off started to sneak off I sent Sarah with her to open our door because Sarah has mad broken door knob opening skills. Well, by the time I get out to the living room, the sweet lady who I had never met before this encounter was running across the street chasing Daisy!!!!!!!!!!!! It is making me laugh now to think of it, but seriously I was humiliated. Can you imagine? This poor lady is dropping off a screaming baby and leaving these innocent children in the center of chaos. AND she had to catch my dog!
To top off the fun I had fixed, of all things, tacos. Because there is nothing more fun than 6 kids wanting to fix their own taco. Please, someone take me to the dr. I have got to be suffering from a concussion. Or just good old fashioned stupidity. Is there a cure for that yet? Here are some pics from that special occassion.
Oh yeah, that's red Kool-Aid too.....
I know you want a puppy. Come on, you know you do!!!!!
A rare moment where both of the baby girls were accounted for....
Welcome to the Wild, Wild Fidler's!!!!!!!!!!!!
All I can say is tomorrow is a new day. (I've been saying that for like 8 days now.) God's mercies are new too, Praise the Lord!!!!! Last night was a fresh promise of hopeful things to come. The kids were playing in the sanctuary and I told them that it wasn't a place to play, but to pray. This is what they immediately did....
Do you think they are praying, "Dear God, please make me a bird, so I can fly far, far away from here." ?????
It's been one of those weeks, y'all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2 comments:
HI! Sounds like you are just like every other mother on the planet...doing the best she can! I've missed you...been too busy to leave a comment although I have been stopping by. Let me know how you are...other than the obvious chaos that is, let's face it, the life of a mom!
We all have those weeks sometimes! Being a single mother for three weeks at the time, then having two parents for three weeks and working what is very much like a part time job, I can totally agree with your statement that there's no way to tell which way to parent is hardest or more work! It's all hard and it's all work - and all worth it:) That's something that your post totally said without those exact words! Even when you're having these weeks, you sound like you enjoy parenting so much! Also, the chaos is what makes the kids love your house so I doubt you'll have any problem getting them to come back!
I can also sympathize with being the mean parent! I am totally, unequivically, and without doubt the mean parent. Ben is so easygoing, he normally doesn't even know Jack is misbehaving until I tell him. Literally, Jack can be right beside him having a tantrum and Ben can just block it out and when I get his attention, he's like, "oh, what's going on?" So, you can imagine how good he is at discipline:) But, oh, to have that personality - can you imagine??
Loved this post!
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