Do-Over Day

I decided yesterday needed to be a "do-over day". At the end of the day, I just wasn't happy with myself - and I am sure the kids (really just the girls) weren't to thrilled either. I was grouchy...to the point I went in and apologized to Sarah after I had put her to bed. Of course she was all-forgiving, and I knew by morning she would have forgotten everything - it was to make me feel better I guess. You know, moms have bad days too -- just like kids do -- but sometimes it is hard to accept that it is okay. You don't want to ensure a spot in therapy for your kids just because you had a bad day. I can't stand the thought of my kids going to sleep feeling like I am the bad guy - especially when it wasn't even their fault. Charles and the boys were gone from 7:15 in the morning until 8:30 at night...probably a good thing! Ava is just all over the place and into everything. If something is put up, she pulls it out...shoes....purses....socks....toys....tupperware...you name it. Yet at the same time, she is stuck to me like velcro! How does that happen??? And if I hear "NO! I DO IT!" one more time???? Ava flat out refuses to let you do ANYTHING for her. She has to know she can't do it herself before she will let you come near her (sigh). Sarah really isn't as busy. Our biggest struggle right now is a potty training issue. She is pretty much potty trained - day and night - she just doesn't want to "poop" in the potty. Give her a diaper and she'll go (again - sigh). I wasn't going to give in to her request for a diaper, but I didn't know if all the crying was from her being afraid or not being able to go. Let's just say she is afraid. I have one more trick up my sleeve....I'll see if it works.

So you see, life is not all butterflies and sunshine at our house. I know that comes as a huge shock - ha! Just remember that it is okay to have a bad day. If you get extreme - just be sure to apologize - even to the little ones. It's all worth it to feel those little arms around your neck! I love my family - and I'm glad they love me - even on my "grouchy" days! :-)

A Day In The Life Of.....

Charles & I have always kidded that we should have some sort of web cam in our house because the strangest things seem to happen and no one would ever believe us if we told them.  Sometimes I don't even think the writers for "Seinfeld" could come up with this material.  Let me just give you a run-down of all the happenings starting from about 6:30 Monday night til about 6:30 Tuesday night.

If you are not on Facebook, then you didn't see my status Monday night when I posted about Ava eating dark brown sugar straight from the box.  She was covered in it and incredibly sticky.  Probably wouldn't have been so bad if  I weren't at work and Charles needed to leave the house in 10 minutes to take the boys to karate.  To top it off, when he did put her in the tub, she had pooped in her diaper and a "piece" fell between her toes...got squished...yeah - I was glad I was at work!

On my way home from work that night, I was pulled over by the ever-so-observant Collierville police because I had a headlight out (Charles' car).  No ticket - just a warning.  I told him a security guard at work had told me about it and I was going to be getting it fixed.  Didn't tell him that the security guard told me that a week ago.....

Next morning -- usual chaos getting the boys up & out the door...then getting the girls and their lunches ready for MDO.  Get there (they go to First Assembly) - and Charles tells me Zachary is in his office -- sick with a fever and headache...nice.  First thought was flu (fever, headache, and sudden onset are symptoms), but I took him to my work and he was negative -- whew!  He's still not feeling well and running a temp - not sure what's going on, but it will have to run its course.

I go to the dentist....the machine they use to polish your teeth went out after the girl had already cleaned my top teeth.  She then proceeded to clean my bottom teeth...with a toothbush.  Now I know how Sarah & Ava feel when we go after them with a toothbrush!  Oh - and on top of that, I had some sort of cavity or something -- I don't even remember what they called it, but it is something that will have to be "filled".  Doesn't hurt....won't have to be drilled...whatever.

Next I go to Wal-Mart....was really pumped because I picked up some fried okra from the deli....then I was bummed when I got home and it tasted like it had been cooked 6 hours prior to my arrival...bleh!

Go to pick up the rest of the kiddos from MDO/school....Sarah & Ava are terrors...they always are after they come home on "school" days.  I'm seriously thinking about taking them out.  It isn't worth my sanity!

Josh talks me into going to Great American Cookie Co. on the way home.  I pick up cookies for everyone and then when I get home I realize my "free" cookie didn't make it into the bag....grrr!

The girls continue on their rampage all afternoon...ready to pull my air out!  Nothing satisfies them!

Charles comes home and then goes back outside to attempt to change the headlight.  You have to understand that in his car, this is no easy feat!  You have to get to it thru the wheel-well...major ordeal.  Anyway - 5 minutes after he goes outside the phone rings.  I was dealing with Ava and knew someone answered it -- cut to the chase -- Charles had busted in the garage and couldn't get up so he used his cell phone to call us to come help him!  Not a good memory -- the last time someone fell like that, 911 was called....I drove up to find an ambulance and fire truck in my driveway....makes me shudder!  He was okay though...very sore, but okay.

We come inside and while trying to pry my daughters out of the refrigerator, I'm pretty sure I broke my pinky toe on said refrigerator.  I'm going to x-ray it when I go to work tomorrow.  It is sporting some beautiful shades of blue and purple...unlike the pretty pink one on the other foot!

Sarah and I start to butt heads over a potty training issue.  She is doing GREAT...but she will NOT poop in the potty.  She knows she gets a huge treat when she does, but something about it scares her...she says her "booty hurts"...yet put a diaper on her and she has no trouble.  Sigh..

At that point, I told everyone to pick their favorite cereal for dinner.  I had no energy to fix the veggies and baked fish I had originally planned.  Afterwards, it was baths/showers/bed for all little people.  I was never so happy to see 9:00 come!

So anyway...see what I mean?  These kinds of things go on all the time!  Now you understand when I can't remember things....lots of things!  My brain never gets a rest!  It's crazy over here!  It's not all bad....when I was giving the girls a bath (separately), Ava is singing "Jesus Loves Me" and Sarah is singing "I'm In The Lord's Army".  Even in all the chaos, I know I am blessed.  I can kiss and hug my family, and they can kiss and hug me back.  We are all safe under one roof.  I am not promised that tomorrow or the next day I can say that, but for tonight I can -- and I plan on making the most of it.  I don't want any regrets because I don't know what tomorrow will bring.  :-)

Tooth Fairy & Tiaras

That's about as clever as I could get with the title....and believe it or not, the two really aren't even related! We've been so busy....school started and I have had the hardest time adjusting. I hate getting up early..the boys are getting older and gone are the days of them bouncing out of bed - although out of the two, Josh really is the best about getting up on his own. It used to be the other way around. Zachary now has to practically be blasted out of bed on school mornings! Our lives now feel so rushed all day every day. I hate that. Moving on....

We've been to the dentist, got haircuts, birthday parties, shopping trips to Target....normal stuff. Josh lost a tooth - actually, he had Zachary pull it! I just can't imagine - I would have never let anyone touch my mouth to pull a tooth. I pulled my own teeth thank-you-very-much! Anyway -- he's really cute, he lost one of his top 2 teeth, so he has a touch of a lisp! He got $15 (thx to someone other than mom & dad) for that joker...a far cry from the .50 cents I got when I was a kid! When I took him to the dentist, Dr. Prine told me he would have to (in layman's terms) have part of his gum removed that is between his 2 front teeth. This doesn't have to be done until he loses his other top tooth though. If we don't do it, he will have a gap between his teeth. The verdict is still out on whether or not he will need braces. He hasn't lost enough teeth to be able to tell. Zachary is good though...he has great teeth - whew!

On the other hand, the girls have been playing dress-up in their princess outfits constantly! Sarah is forever asking Zachary to marry her....so cute! Zachary will say, "I now pronounce you brother & sister." They crack me up. Sarah is obsessed with princess things...she is 110% girl! Ava is right behind her - doing whatever "Sissy" does. They went to a "Tea Party" birthday party last weekend for their friend Lily. Those girls had a great time. Ava grazed on cookies and PB&J cut-out sandwiches, Sarah just loved being with her "gal-pals"! I am once again going to to try to potty train next weekend. I'm dreading it...maybe because I'm going to do Sarah & Ava together. Why not? Yeah - my work will be cut out for me, but if I can do it....it will be well worth the loss of my sanity! I found a 3-Day Potty Training booklet on-line. It supposedly works...has great testimonials....and the lady who wrote it gives you e-mail support. The only major problem I see now is that Sarah WILL NOT - I repeat...WILL NOT even attempt to go poo-poo in anything but a diaper. Not quite sure how I'm going to handle that. I need to see if the booklet addresses that. So that - my friends - is how I plan on spending my 4-day weekend! No really - don't be jealous!

So anyway - that is what's happening with us these days. I'm so glad I am off tomorrow. We NEVER have a day that we can all sleep in as a family and just do what we want. Literally- except for a holiday - there is not one day that Charles and I are home on the same day where we can sleep in. He works every Saturday and Sunday we are up & running for church. I had wanted to work in the yard, but a small part of me hopes it rains! I don't want it to rain on my birthday, but nothing beats sleeping in on a rainy day. You know I am right!