I Smile (though I would rather Scream)

It's been a nonstop deluge of activities, day trips and weekend trips this summer.  Visiting with family and friends.  It's been full of adventure, new experiences and new places.  Which is why, after returning from a 3.5 hour car trip with 2 young ones AND a whining, unstable canine I decided that today we would simply chill out at home.  Maybe watch some movies, paint, read books and make cookies.  Sounds idyllic doesn't it?  Chill, though?  Is not a word that exists in this household.  We did do all of those activities I mentioned.  But those things don't take up the entirety of the day and when the lull hit.  My boys began to go a little bananas.  Stuck inside on a rainy day.  One child with a terrible cough.  The other one simply a busy little 2 year old boy who enjoys annoying his big brother that happened to have a horrible nights sleep and no nap.

You know this will only end in catastrophe right?

I began to count down the hours (or minutes as they seemed to be ticking an a frustratingly slow rate) until bed time around 3:30 when my eldest demanded his third cookie and fourth cup of juice and my littlest awoke from his nap from less than an hour of shut eye.

There were whiny requests for Cheerios, fights over who could sit on my lap (doesn't sound as annoying as it truly is - though I do love me some snuggles, when they're both yelling in your ear for them it's takes the sweetness out of it.  Somehow.) and me ironically wishing to yell for stillness and quiet as they clambered all over me like I was piece of their backyard play equipment.  We made it down the stairs and within 10 minutes a glass of lemonade was knocked over on the kitchen table (barely missing my open computer), Finley was knocked to the ground accidentally by yours truly (as I ran with my computer to the kitchen counter) He was already crying because he wanted his brother's Iron Man umbrella and being hip checked by his Dear Mother sure didn't help. Adrian began licking the lemonade off the table like an animal as I muttered 'shit' about a hundred times thinking my computer got sizzled with lemonade. The dog began running around growling with my son's sandal in her mouth.  Of-course Adrian then took notice of this when he took a second to glance up from licking the table and ran over to her screaming to drop his sandal.  My littlest then decided that a small green magnetic letter 'a' was of utmost importance to obtain but found he couldn't hide it properly - or to his satisfaction - under a blue tea cloth.  And so the waterworks began again.  And again.

No one ever said that 2 year olds made sense.  Or that 4 year old boys were made up of charm.

Both boys were crying, the dog was barking and I stood there unshowered, unkempt and still in my pj's at 4 pm. I was feeling every bit of the Stay At Home Mother I am...whatever that means.  I didn't know if I felt like crying, screaming or laughing uncontrollably.

And I had no clue how I was to make something from nothing when dinner was due to be on the table in an hour and I couldn't remember the last time I bought groceries.

The next hour brought more of the same as I cooked up a gourmet meal of baked beans, corn, buttered toast and cheese.  And peanut butter and honey sandwiches for my little.  I was beyond coaxing and cajoling food into my youngest child which seems to be all I do at meals now and so what he requested is what he got.  We sat around the table about to dig in to our feast when my phone rang.  Of-course, of-course!  Just as the phone rang Adrian clutched his tummy and moaned about how bad it hurt.  Probably had nothing to do with the fact that he hasn't pooped in 4 days.  I answered the phone to hear my husband's baritone, reassuring voice calling (unfortunately for me) from another country.  Then Adrian (somehow?) promptly fell off of his chair.  More howling from him as I handed my phone to Finley who proceeded to tell his Daddy that he was eating a peanut butter and honey sandwich immediately thereafter placed the phone back onto the table to continue his meal.  Uninterrupted.  Adrian moaned and writhed and cried and clutched while I held him on the couch as my husband's voice sat quiet on the dining room table.  Waiting.

This is what happens in my house.  A lot. This should make y'all feel better now no? ...because I'm sure everyone that is a parent can relate to a day such as this.

Good times friends.

Goooood times.

On a more positive note we've been doing the #30daysofhappiness project put together by a very cool website at http://thesmileepidemic.tumblr.com/....here are some things that despite the chaotic crazy day, have made us smile...

It's such a fabulous idea!  Easy and fun - the whole family can join....you should check it out!  :)