From February 8, 2010

Or should I say, "Kids, Part Duex." What a case of the Mondays. With Ellie being sick today and staying home with Joe, I found myself with an extra 1/2 hour to relax before leaving the house. And it was very relaxing. The day already promised sunshine, so we sat in our cozy living room, kids on our laps, until it was time to go. It was a very cold morning, but I felt upbeat and positive. One week into walking every day, my energy level was pretty good. So when we parked and it was time to get the kids out, Trey began screaming. And screaming. And it didn't stop all the way in and all the way out while dropping Lucy off. It was like a movie; people gave me the evil eye the way people do when your kid screams and they assume you've been beating them. It was not pretty. I've learned in these instances that giving in to the tantrum simply doesn't work (btw, this tantrum was because I couldn't carry him - I had Mollie in one arm and physically can't hold a 31/2 yr. old as well. Plus, I'm trying to instill independence in these kids, and carrying a 3 yr. old one day will teach him that I will carry him every day. I know, I know, I'm a tough-ass). Long story even longer, as JP (my eldest sister) would say, Lucy had also forgotten her boots that day, and so had to borrow the school ones. I hate that! And I watched her go get her boots on the way out the door, but that little sneak had put them back when my back was turned and put on her fancy princess shoes, which of course I didn't notice until we were standing in front of her locker. Of course this had to be recess day, too.

Everything went pretty smoothly at mom's group, once my anger toward Trey had abated, and we had kissed and made up. This happened because he informed me, in his sweetest voice, that "he was so sorry" and that he is "just your bizzle-boy so you have to love him." Man oh man that is going to work on the girls one day!

Some of the girls suggested we meet at BK playland afterward for lunch, so silly me, I decide I will pick Lucy up and then we'll do just that. Fun times at BK chatting it up with the MIC gang, but when it was time to go, it was, once again, not pretty. Lucy was incoherently going on and on about having two more minutes to play, which I gladly gave her, but since she didn't get to do what she wanted in those 2 minutes, she wanted another 2 minutes. A rational mother not carrying one child and holding the hand of another would not give in to this, but for the sake of quiet for those around me, I told her she could. But she didn't want another 2 minutes, folks. Uh-uh. She wanted the previous 2 minutes back. Hail Mary, Full of Grace, the Lord is with thee.....
said for patience, because I can do a lot of things with God's grace, but turning back the clock isn't one of them. So I did one of those things mothers never admit to anyone besides their husband, and I coaxed her (still screaming) to the foyer of the building, and hurried 2 of them to the car, and ran back (reluctantly, I'll admit) to get Lucy and bring her screaming to the car. As I was in the midst of this, a patron of said BK said "ohhhh, she must be about 2 1/2, eh?" Nope, I told him, she's a very very special 5 year old, big old fake grin on my face. One would THINK she was 2 the way she acts, so I don't blame him at all. Such a Jonah day (as Anne spelled with an "e" would say)