"Mommy's Issue"

As a native Nashvillian, the humidity lately is no surprise.  However, somehow the temperatures truly are ridiculous beyond belief this year?  I'm dying.  Could be the temps.  Could be the extra 60 pounds on my frame.  Could be the fact that my kids canNOT do anything at a normal pace.  They are s-l-o-w.  Quick to say a swear word in public!  Slow to get out of the car and into the air conditioned house.

I have started really trying to take a deep breath and mentally sort out different situations I encounter in my day to realize whether my frustrations are stemming from something the KIDS are doing or if it is my own issue.  "Mommy's Issue"  I am not shy to admit it is quite often a mommy issue.  For example, when I can't find anything to wear because all of my clothes are too small or too tight or have strange stains (spit-up?) on them, and one of the boys is trying to help me by putting the clothes away as I tear them off my body and throw them on the bed - when they inevitably get in my way and I feel ready to scream, this is mommy's issue.  See how that works?  Today, I had to pee SO bad, I am holding the 23 pound baby girl I affectionately have begun referring to as "Brutus", it is 96 degrees outside with a humidity of, like, 7,000%, and did I mention I was about to wet my pants?!?  Oh yes, and holding both of the boys' backpacks and their empty lunchbox and my heavy purse with all of the mail in it...Jack and Henry decide to fight over who gets to bring in the new box of toys the neighbor brought over this morning.  REALLY?!?  Please just get inside!  My gut reaction was to scream at them to, "Get your butts inside!  I will carry the toys!"  Nevermind my hands were already full, right?  So, deep breath.  Think it over.  Did I need to bring ALL of those things inside right now?  No.  Can Zoe sit on her bottom in the grass while I attempt to break up the fight?  Yes.  DEEEEEEEP breath.  "Boys, this is mommy's issue.  She has to pee very bad and is a little frustrated about the ridiculous fight you have gotten in to.  Please, can we just go inside, play with our new toys, and let mommy get into the bathroom?"  Guess what?  It worked!  We went inside and started a whole new fight about why we can't throw toys.  Still.  It's nice and cool in the house.  And there's a bathroom!

By the way - the word "why" is about to be banned in our house.  Fine, you are a curious toddler.  Sometimes, however, there is just not an answer to the question "why".  There just isn't.  Guess what answer comes at those times?  "Because I said so!"  Oh yes, thanks mom.  I swore I'd never say it.  Actually, I think I've kind of been waiting to use that line.  So, Henry's favorites are "why?" and "what?"  We're pretty sure the "what" comes from our inability to understand him for a long time...even know we're at about a 75% understanding of his speech.  So, conversations with Henry used to go as follows:

Henry:  "I'ma doodin lee fy-ny."
Me or Shaun:  "What?"
Henry:  "I'm A DOODIN FY-NY!"
Me or Shaun:  "Uh.  Yes?"

Conversations with Henry now go something like this:

Henry:  "I want some foo snacks."  (fruit snacks)
Me or Shaun:  "First, you need to eat your dinner."
Henry:  "What?"
Me or Shaun:  "Eat your dinner."
Henry:  "I'ma doodin fy-ny?"
Me or Shaun:  "What?  Is that a question?"
Henry:  "What?"
Me or Shaun:  "Dinner?"
Henry:  "Okay."

That is pretty much a direct quote.  Don't you wish you could hang at our house??

Talk soon!