Saturday, April 13, 2013

7 Quick Takes...a day late, judgmental mom style...

So...this is late.  Par for the course.  Linking up with Jen (but hosted by Grace this week) for:



This week I feel I need to take a humble pill and make some confessions.  I'll title it, "mykidwillneverdothat." or even better, "Iwillneverdothat."

Do what?

1.  Watch videos in the car.  
The car is a place to have some family conversation.  A place where kids can look out the windows and use their imagination.  A place where those invisible lines are drawn, only for hell to break lose if the other sibling crosses over into their space.  A space for "what's dat?" a thousand times and screams from all three at once intermittently.  A place for C-man to throw up on a semi-regular basis.  Not a place for videos to induce trans-like children who don't participate in conversation or use their mind to come up with new games.

After C-man threw up one too many times on not so windy roads, and I finally couldn't hear myself think, yesterday, I decided the car was a place for videos.  And, as Carter put it, "it was WONDERFUL."  Moving on to number two...

2.  Throw an uncontrollable fit in public.
Yesterday, Peter's skin looked like this:





It had for three days.  We took him to the doctor two hours away.  With my new resolution to take back all judgement and ensue with the aforementioned #1, Peter didn't get a nap as he was glued to Brother Francis on the DVD player.  We went to the doctor.  We ran another errand.  We never got out to run around, just in and out of the car.  Final stop...Target to fill the prescription from the doctor.  As I lifted Peter from the car to the shopping basket, the screaming began.  Not the whimpering  whining, barely can hear you screaming.  Instead it was more like something you might see in the movie "Scream" (hence the name I guess).  At that very moment, with curious eyes upon me, I should have loaded him right back in the car and driven off.  However, I chose plan B (dumbest plan ever).  I had to get the prescription filled!

In my mind, I thought:  "It will get better when we start moving."  No.  "It will get better if I put him in the main part, rather than the seat part of the cart."  No.  It will get better when we get inside and he can look around."  No.  Things weren't getting better.  In fact they got worse.

He never let up on his blood-curdling screams, and he started doing the back bend.  I just tried to not act emotional as I wanted to squeeze the scream out of him.  I literally drew a crowd.  People really walked down the aisle to stare at me.  And while I know some were thinking he needed a good spanking (me too!), others would probably have called CPS for me doing so, as he still has scratch mark hives and was crying so hard his nose was bleeding.  The head shaking began, and as soon as I could drop the prescription off (no thanks to anyone for letting me cut in line - that did not happen), I headed out of the store, in shame.

My kid, who has never done that before, who usually loves riding in carts, who is amazed at stores, did that. A million apologies for my internal "discipline that child!"...and moving on...

3.  Wake up in the middle of the night for food after he has consistently slept through the night...

This really isn't a hard, fast rule for me, but it had been a long week, made longer by sickness and an older child pushing the limits.  The little man has been sleeping through the night for almost a month.  My pediatrician said that once they do it, they can, so let them (although I'm not blaming her).  The last week he's been waking up at 2 or 3 am, and we've fed him and put him back down.  Not wanting him to make a habit of it, we decided three nights ago to let him cry.  The first night, he did and fell back asleep within ten minutes.  Night number two wasn't so great.  Over and hour into it, and not wanting to move a muscle, lest he keep wailing, as I am trying to pull my hair out, we vowed to let him cry.  Side note: he is in a crib in our room for now.   And, he eventually fell asleep.  An hour later, he woke up and we went to grab him, only to find a onesie soaked in TT and a diaper from hell.  Yep, diarrhea and urine.  Yep, call CPS.

4.  Let a child play with a medicine bottle. 

I know this is a no brainer.  However, with its childproof lid, only-a-third-full-of-contents bottle, and its great teething soothing ability, as one gnaws on the dropper top, I thought, "what the heck this one time."  As I looked back in the carseat to find said child with thick, red, sticky baby tylenol trailing from his mouth to his seat, I lost it.  Liver problems anyone?  Never again (idiot, I know)!

5.  Use the TV as a babysitter.

Look at number 1.  I need to write this blog ;)

Numbers 6 & 7, I haven't met you yet, but I'm sure I will soon.  (God, please no.  I really am sorry for being so judgmental.  I have learned my lesson).

Here's to a little more grace and mercy on my part, as I start to think "Never will that happen to me!"

Happy weekend!



11 comments :

  1. Oh Britt, I'm feeling the pain! It's so hard to be put to the test, but just think of the lovely fruit that God is nurturing in you. I hope you get a break from it soon. And what the heck WAS that on Peter's skin anyway?

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    1. Thank you :) As for Peter, we still don't know. He would get scratch-like hives, along with ones that looked like bites (often in pairs in a row). His face would get really red and his hands became red and swollen. He'd also get really clingy. They ruled out strep. Now he is on a steroid for three days. If the hives return, we'll do bloodwork. Who knows.

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  2. Bless your heart! You are the best mom - Tiff doesn't call you Super Mom for nothing. What a week. Nothing you can't handle though. You got this. Did the prescription help Peter's rash? It better have after all the hassle to get it filled!

    -Amy

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    1. I have quite a bit of learning left to do :) Yes, so far he's only had two patches today, praise the Lord.

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  3. Hang in there lady!! This too shall pass. Hope your little mans hives are healed up and he is feeling back to his normal self soon.

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  4. Love this!!! #4 especially - oh my goodness!!! Hopefully he slept well after that :)

    And I was totally that judgmental mom who was NEVER going to use TV as a babysitter. HA! Dinner would never get made without TV...

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  5. Aww, Britt, I'm so sorry you've had a rough week. I don't care how many of these you violate, you are still THE best mom. Ever. Period. I love you! Oh, and I totally have major car sick issues, like really bad. I've got some pills I take, and although Carter may be too young for that, I can tell you about them for when he gets older if you want!!

    ~Tiffany

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  6. Hey Brit - hang in there. You are doing AWESOME! Parenthood is a marathon - not a sprint - and we all learn along the way! You are doing a fantastic job... Pouring yourself into your boys and family and seeking to honor God in all of it. There are times - days - where you just have to do what you have to do to get through it. Each day is a new day... Remember too that God perfects us through parenthood - He doesn't expect us to be perfect! A great verse to memorize (my mantra really) - Galatians 6:9 - Let us not grow weary in doing God for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. You will reap SO much fruit as your precious boys grow... A big hug to you!

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    1. Oh gosh, Nicole, thank you so much! I really do need to memorize that verse. You are such an inspiration. Really, you are! I love being a mom...love it. Sometimes I just want to know that I'm doing the right things :) Hugs to you and your five, too!

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