It's been one of those days... (weeks, actually...)

WARNING: If you're not in the mood to hear a half -crazed mother rant for a bit, then skip this post and go straight ot he next one... it's a bit more lighthearted...

Ever have "one of those days" where everything seems to go wrong? It seems like I've had a lot of those lately. It seems like they're like potato chips- I can't have just one. I have tried to keep everything in perspective. Perhaps I am a tad bit oversensitive. I am feeling VERY pregnant lately, and I'm sure as emotions are running high I don't have the patience I usually do. (But to be honest, I really don't think it's all me.) Some days I feel like I'm surrounded by crazies...

Yesterday, my 7 year old (who is usually the best behaved)was in Time Out a grand total of 12 times! His list of "crimes" included: hitting his brother, shoving his sister, throwing toys across the room, telling me NO (repeatedly), refusing to help clean up, telling me (direct quote here...) "If you don't like the way I do things then why don't you just sell me?", stealing food from the kitchen without asking, hitting walls, and stomping around like a crazed animal. (just to name the highlights) Time outs don't seem to change the behavior at all, and even taking away computer priveleges and reinstating nap-time for him has made no difference. Even my guilting him by telling him how dispappointed I am has had no effect.

Caleb is an emotional wreck lately. His water works system is definitely working on overload. It seems that if you even look at that kid funny is bursts into these loud, sobbing wails. I know I should have more patience with the emotional little guy, but seriously, after about the 5th hysterical sobbing outburst in a row over not being able to find his (insert object; shoe, train, book, etc.) I start to go a little mad. I can understand about him being frustrated, but I seriously feel like telling the kid to snap out of it and pull himself together!

Kellie is... well, she is just Kellie. Perhaps the most even tempered lately, she still finds a way to get her 2 cents worth in at all the wrong moments. She is a beautiful, opinionated, pushy little spitfire. She has this nasty habit of screeching really loud if one of the boys gets to close or if they take a toy, or generally anytime she is displeased with anything. I have been hoping to potty train her before the baby comes, but that notion has quickly been flying out the window. Kellie is cooperative about 50 % of the time. Heaven help me, but I am so tired lately I just haven't had it in me to really push the issue. She is just too strong willed for me to physically wrestle her to get her into the bathroom when she doesn't want to go. Bribery thus far has not worked with her. I am just so tired and I can't take her screaming on top of the boys wails right now... so I have just let it go for the moment. Then tonight, she comes walking down the stairs, diaper off, with her shorts around her ankles. Evidently she took herself to the potty. I don't know if she actually did anything, but Aaron told me he saw her sitting there and wiping. How pathetic is that? My 7 year old knew she was in the bathroom and I didn't. She is obviously ready to be trained... I am just so frustrated. Why won't she go when I try to take her?

My husband, too, is being lumped together in the same category as the kids. Love him dearly, but he is driving me nuts! He has worked so hard this summer, moving from project to project, and our house is looking great! Bad news is that he doesn't bother to FINISH any of the projects he starts. He painted my kitchenover a month ago and his painting supplies are still cluttering up my counters because he hasn't finished the touch ups. (of course they are near the ceiling and would require standing on our counters to reach, so I can't do them myself, being this pregnant...) I have had a pile of rocks in my driveway for over a month because he hasn't finished the landscaping yet... I still don't have my furniture put back from when he refinished the floors, which he won't do until he finishes putting the baseboards back up, which he won't do because he hasn't repainted them yet... the list goes on and on...

So here I sit, VERY PREGNANT, looking down at my tummy thinking, "What in the world was I thinking to have another one?" and FEELING VERY SORRY FOR MYSELF, and SO TIRED I can hardly see straight. So I sit down at the computer to unwind for a few minutes. I go to my friend Andrea's blog. I think she may be the one person that I know of who may be having a worse day than me. I actually got a little teary as I read her post.(Sorry Andrea, if this embarrasses you!) In the last two days her beautiful little girls cut their own hair (and from the sounds of it, it is not too pretty), smeared the contents of their diaper across the floor, and made a mess in the pantry. I could feel the frustration in her post, and I felt so bad for her. It made me remember that we all have "one of those days" from time to time. Suprisingly enough, it made me feel a little better to know that I was not the only mother who is ready to pull their hair out! Thank you Andrea, for being brave enough to write about a really bad day. Maybe someday we'll look back and laugh at these times. (someday... just not today...)