A Story From Our Day

“Bradley, keep an eye on your brother and sisters. I have to run downstairs and switch the laundry,” I told Bradley. I also yelled over my shoulder to them before the basement door shut behind me, “Bradley’s in charge! Be good!” Ha! Like that is gonna happen, but I’ll test my luck just to get a little bit done.

I hurried down the steps and switched the laundry over like a mad woman. I turned shirts right side out in lightning speed. So much can happen when I switch laundry, which is why I never get it done and always have humongous piles of it. What are they doing up there? I stopped in my fury of clothing and listened; no panicked footsteps, no screaming, I”m doing good,” I thought to myself and finished up quickly.

When I went upstairs Bradley had a piece of paper and pen. “Mom, I wrote down everybody’s names of who was being naughty,” he told me. Collin’s name was down three times (go figure), Elsie and Mallie’s once each. “What did they do?” I asked. He listed all the things they did and he didn’t cut them any slack. Wow, he really takes his job seriously and couldn’t help laughing to myself.

It has been a crazy week here with the kids. I’m usually working, so we are not in a routine and as soon as we get one, it will be time to go back. But right now…right about nap time when I really need a breather…well, it just doesn’t happen. The twins think nap time really means party time and wont sleep for anything! Collin thinks it is time to go to the bathroom, get a drink, anything to get him up from laying still. There are times I just want to cry. Please just go to sleep! Mommy needs a break.

And then I take a step back…letting all the fighting and bickering and crazy screaming with joy around the house go into the background. I take deep breaths and focus on the little things…like when Collin ran Mallie over with a car and knocked her down, he stopped and helped her up and tried to giver her a hug. Bradley offering to brush his sisters’ teeth in the morning. Elsie puckered up for a kiss. They really can be sweet, despite all the havoc they create.

I captured one silly moment with the girls. It is now one of my favorite videos. I am so happy that they actually play together, even though Mallie seems a little unwilling. 

I love being home with them and I can’t wait to go back to work. I wish I could do it half and half…a little bit of this and a little bit of that.

xxx

Vacation is a Relative Term

So we are on our Christmas “vacation” or holiday “break” from school. And as I do dishes two or three times a day, fold four loads of laundry, bake cookies that stick to the cookie sheet, chase the kids around the house, “Get down! No jumping on the couch. Have you lost your mind?!”…I wonder when the “break” will begin because I think I’m losing my mind.

 When you are a mom, the term “vacation” or “break” doesn’t really mean time off to relax or get things done. That term is deceiving. It means chasing the kids around the house, being a referee to the fighting and bickering, “Mum, Bradley said ha ha to me” and “MOM! Collin threw a car at me.” It is thinking (and really believing) you are going to get all kinds of things done with this “extra” time, like organizing the closet and cleaning out the cupboards and then get all stressed out because you barely got anything accomplished and are counting down the hours until daddy gets home because mommy is really starting to lose it. Where is my break? And why wont these children nap?!

I will admit, the first week or so was fun; waiting for christmas, baking cookies, wrapping presents, playing games, making crafts, admiring the christmas lights. But ever since New Year’s…well, I am totally over it. I am ready to get the hell out of the house!

I need to work for my sanity. I need to see people. I need to talk to somebody over the age of 3. Now, Bradley (my 7-year-old) is pretty good company and we have some great conversations…but it’s not the same as seeing people “out in the real world.”

I love my kids. I just don’t want to be home with them every day, all day. I will lose my mind…sweet and cute as they are. I really don’t know how stay at home moms do it. It’s just not for me. I find myself wishing for work so I can have a “break”…oh, the irony.

Must be time for a mommy night out…or a drink, either one or both will do.

How do you make it through “breaks” and “vacations” from school?

xxx