Mondays are sometimes crazy for us. I haven't really pinpointed why. Sometimes I think that it's because we've all spent a full day together as a family and then the boys go back to just mom for the majority of the day. Sometimes I think I'm in the let's-get-some-things-done mood and am impatient (and that is sensed by the little ones). Sometimes I just don't know. But here's a rundown of this Monday.
- I wake up to Peter yelling that he'd had an "ackident" - that he did.
- Boys still have some version of the stomach bug.
- While I'm changing a terrible diaper on the little guy, the boys (who I left eating breakfast) are running around the house screaming/laughing. Then Carter comes in to say, "Momma, it was an accident that I spit Gatorade all over the house."
- Dirty diaper number two for the little guy.
- Sent the big boys outside. They dumped over all of the pots of pine cones (not really a big deal).
- Peter tried to go to the bathroom outside, and it turned out, he had another accident all over his clothes.
- Changed boys clothes.
- Go to put dirty clothes in laundry and hear a blood curdling scream. Carter runs out of my bathroom (naked) saying he fell and hit his head on the tile. I look in the bathroom to find a naked Peter. They had undressed in the shower, t-ted all over and slipped on it. I wasn't very sympathetic, although the knot on his head is huge.
- Carter kicked John Paul.
- Carter had to go to the restroom and decided it would be fun to touch it and smear it all over the toilet seat.
- Carter threw a fit because he had to nap (never does this), so I took a tiny car of his away and told him I was giving it to a more deserving child.
- His world ended.
- (yesterday, it really started, when they climbed on the medicine cabinet and used Triamcinolone as toothpaste)
Now they're sleeping.
Wish me luck the rest of the day.
Maybe I need to pull out a fun project (we did this Thursday)?
In all seriousness, the boys are great kids. I discipline them, sometimes to the point I think I do it too much. Days like these, I have no clue where I went wrong or how to make things better. I want the kids to be well-behaved and respectful. Yet, I don't want to be on them all.the.time.
Seriously, any ideas?
Oh my goodness I laughed so hard at their shower antics! I've got no advice, I think this all just comes with raising boys! And sometimes it seems like the naughtiness breeds more naughtiness...
ReplyDeleteJust chalk it up to another family story. Boys are like that, and you'll make yourself crazy if you try to eliminate all the gunky parts of their "boy-ness". At some point in a day like that you just have to give in to the humor of it all and do whatever comes to mind to "reboot" - take them on a walk? a trip to town? a special reading time? Making cookies? Just don't think that you're not being a good enough mom - it's really got nothing to do with you.
ReplyDeleteHi Britt - Oh my goodness. I can SOOO relate. There are days when I just wonder how the wheels fell off before things ever got started (ie: like 9 a.m.) and I wish I could hit 'redo' or 'undo' or maybe find the 'easy' button... You are doing great. Days like these just happen. And the more children you add, the crazier (yet more full, fun and amazing) things become! :) Remember you're doing a fantastic job and they are loved and cared for and learning about Jesus. And through the process of parenting you are becoming more like Jesus! It's a journey for sure, and I think I'm growing by leaps and bounds in the patience area myself! For me and our home... I try my best to have a loose 'schedule'. My guess is you have a pretty good flow to your day, but perhaps that would help them - particularly on Mondays. It could be simple (and at times mine have been)... Get up, breakfast, play. Room time (where they play quietly by themselves - and you work or do laundry, pay bills, etc.) Followed by a snack at the table. Then book/reading time with them. Send them outside for a few minutes while you make lunch. Then rest/naps after... You get the picture. I've found that moving the children through activities really helps, and typing this even convicts me - because there are times I don't do a good job of this at all! And the days where we have a good routine go so much smoother... This resource - managers of their home - really helped and blessed me. http://www.titus2.com/managers-of-their-homes.html It can look overwhelming, but going/reading through the materials gave me a good foundation of how to better run and manage our home. Hang in there! We're in the throes of a tough week trying to potty train a very spirited 25 month old ourselves! Any tips on that? I've been there done that three times so far, but she's breaking the mold for sure!
ReplyDeleteWell, they sure are cute.
ReplyDeleteAnd they're providing you with great blackmail stories to pull out at opportune times during their teenage years. So there's that.
Keep up the good work - you're raising wonderful little young men, even on the hard days.
-Amy
Oh, Britt! :-) You are such a great momma. :-) And a great momma to this wonderful number four!! I'm so excited for you and your family!!!!
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