The Week of Cursing

After AJ got home yesterday I treated myself to a Blizzard at Dairy Queen.  I had earned every single calorie too.  Tonight I might need to go again.   

The day started with Lucas refusing to eat because I didn't serve him what he wanted.  He has always had to eat what is served- why the sudden objections and resistance now?  He had a choice of cereals and he didn't want cereal.  I thought the age of 4 was going great.  But we have entered another challenging spell.  And he whined about the food.  And he whined some more.  I told him to go to his room or eat.  He whined some more. 

I walked in and told AJ (who was getting ready for work) that I couldn't, just couldn't, do another day like yesterday.  He came out and physically put Lucas in his room.  5 minutes of being in his room suddenly made his breakfast more tolerable to him.  He ate it.


Nick is giving up naps.  'Nuff said.

Nick also locked me in the backyard today.  Once I got into the house with the hide a key I found him behind THREE, yes THREE, locked doors.  Our bedroom door - locked.  Our bathroom door - locked. And our closet door - locked. 

He had barricaded himself in there with the cat and a bottle of hand soap.  He wanted to wash the cat. But he didn't want me to stop him.  Thus the FOUR locked doors. 

It may sound as though I don't supervise.  I can see how you might believe that, given all that seems to be going on.  But I can assure you that I am supervising.  They seem to wait for me to turn my back, go to the bathroom, step outside to get the dog, go to the garage for a roll of paper towels, start doing dishes - you name it - and then they sneak away to get into something. 

I'm feeling defeated, exhausted and demoralized.  What am I doing wrong?  Am I raising a bunch of nut jobs?  Am I being too strict and they are acting out?  Am I not being strict enough? 

I took them to the park bright and early to run off their energy.  At this point I'm afraid to take them anywhere where but the park.  On the way a woman pulled into my lane and quite literally came inches away from causing a major collision at 45 mph.  I hit the narrow median with my tire and nearly entered oncoming traffic where I would have promptly had a head-on collision with a police officer. I locked up the brakes and laid on the horn and she missed me, but not by much.  I was directly next to her so it would have been a full-body-slam so to speak. 

Thankfully no one was hurt. She got out of her car when we reached the stop light and came back to profusely apologize which made it better.  I wish more people were polite like that.  I went to the mechanic to make sure I didn't need an alignment after hitting the median and thankfully I didn't. 

And in other news I found a great mechanic!!  Didn't charge me for anything and he seems like a genuine dude. 

The mechanic had just closed my hood and Lucas reaches into the cab (super fast!!) and pops the hood again.  I didn't even notice because I was loading Nick in the car.  The mechanic noticed and went and closed it again.  I swear these kids are like a bunch of rodents (and there's only two of them!!) racing around getting into things, scattering objects, breaking and soiling things, fighting - and I can't keep track of them or what they are doing.  Thank GOD they aren't multiplying like rodents do.  I can't even imagine how people with more than two children survive. 

This is just a phase - a bad week.  It will get better.  It always does. 

Here are some good moments from yesterday: 

The boys helped me cut up chicken for dinner with their baby knives.  They then proceeded to eat a bunch of the chicken and the frozen veggies . . . but that's ok because I had planned on them grazing. 

 Oh hey on a side note:  If a frazzled and overwhelmed mother calls you up to vent and let off some steam. . . just listen to her.  Don't even attempt to defend or sympathize with the children that she complains about. You will direct her substantial ire at you, which is a very bad move.  Give me. . .*ahem* I mean her an abnormal amount of comments such as:  "Oh those little bastards!" and "I just don't know how you do it, you are amazing." and " my favorite: "I think you should just let yourself have a beer at 2 in the afternoon, you deserve it honey." 

Don't try to put things into perspective.  Don't try to minimize her suffering. Most importantly DO NOT offer suggestions for discipline unless she specifically asks.  DO NOT under any circumstances tell her "Oh, you need to get that behavior under control." -because she isn't an idiot - she knows this and is doing every thing she can to survive. 

She just wants to talk about herself and be selfish.  

She wants you to give her permission to drink.