MJC&FAM: Some days you just can't win...

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Some days you just can't win...

I love my kids... I love my kids... I love my kids...

(don't mind me, I'm just reminding myself...) :)

Actually, I DO absolutely love and adore my kids. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be their mother. BUT, like any mother, I have some days where you just can't seem to make anyone happy. Today has been one of those days.

The day started off with a BANG as I upset my oldest, AARON, because I refused to change our "no toys, tv, or books before school" rule, even though he just bought some new battle droids with his birthday money last night. We started that rule when Aaron was in Kindergarten because he would play instead of getting ready for school. It has served us well. Our house is zoo enough in the mornings without having to compete with Nick Jr or Anakin Skywalker action figures.

I told him his droids would be waiting for him when he got home, but for all the eye rolling and moping around here you'd think he'd just been sentenced to life without parole.

Miss KELLIE was in a mood this morning, too. Every morning I wrestle her down to tame her wild woman hair so that she won't scare people when we go out in public. Laugh if you must, but that naturally curly mop starts out tangled and frizzy every morning and it takes a dedicated effort to get her to cooperate. At almost 4, she has mostly learned that she just needs to let me do it, although I do usually hear a few token protests, just to remind me that she doesn't appreciate being coerced into cuteness.

Lately, doing her hair has been quite the chore. It is very difficult to maneuver a hair band when you can barely move your wrist and hand. Anyways, Kellie was not cooperating this morning, so I opted for the quickest style I could some up with. Granted, it is not up to my usual standard, but I figured it would work for today. After hair-spraying it I lifted her up to the mirror so she could see today's creation and her eyebrows fell and she started pouting. Clearly, she didn't like it. I told her tough luck and went on to start fixing my own hair.

When I turned around Kellie was still standing there- pouting- holding her hairbrush and detangling spray up for me to see, clearly insinuating without words that I had better try again.

I told her I was done with her and she needed to go get her shoes on or we'd be late. She was not too happy with me and pouted all the way to school. Who knew she was so opinionated about hair fashion?

Little LEVI has enjoyed having some alone time in the mornings while everyone else is in school. It's nice to have some one on one time, although I do think he misses having his siblings around to entertain him. I must not be much fun though, so he has to make up games to pass the time. His most recent adventure involves pulling everything within reach out of the pantry while I'm not looking. He particularly enjoys the part where I put it all away and bring him out of the kitchen. He humors me for a while and then stealthily sneaks back in there and pulls everything back out again.

I have tried blockading the pantry, with no success. The little turkey always finds a way back in. What I find absolutely shocking is how quickly he can empty it. I hear the first can hit the floor and by the time I hop out of the chair to come retrieve him he has already unloaded the bottom shelf. If this continues, I see supermarket bagging races in his future. Luckily, no matter how much I scold him, he always seems to laugh, as if to say, "Lighten up, Mom! This is fun!"

Fun for him I guess... he's not the one tripping over cans of tomato sauce all day...

Well, I've managed to annoy 3 out of my 4 kids this morning. I'm not too worried about it though. Caleb's been pretty touchy lately, so I'm sure he'll be joining the disgruntled ranks by this evening. Nothing like being thorough, I suppose. Guess I better accept it, some days I just can't win...