Zero Nutrition Friday

What Oliver (1) and Lauren (2 and 1/2) have eaten today:

breakfast: dry kix cereal

lunch: strawberry banana yogurt, a slice of cheese, and cheese puffs

late snack/early supper: apple juice, more cheese puffs, and fruit loops

Mother Teresa I Aint

Kate and Sarah, though frequently delightful, were horrible last night. We got off to a cute start this morning so I was excited. The cuteness faded oh-so quickly and the girls wore down the last of my already somewhat lacking patience until I found myself yelling. I don't yell much but I mean, what else do you to with a kid who, when told to do something repeatedly just stands there staring at you? So, "Kate please go put your shoes on." escalated to "SHOES ON NOW!", I'm not proud to say.

When I rounded the corner toward the front of the house from the kitchen I once again noted that Kate was not putting her shoes on. Last I'd seen her she was headed up the stairs after I'd yelled at her not to go back upstairs. That was the last straw. What was she even doing up there when we were so obviously on our way out the door?!? I stood at the foot of the stairs and cut loose with my most thunderous yell that I typically reserve for the dog when I catch her in some ruinous act. "KATE! GET DOWN HERE NOW" I bellowed. Silence. I stared up at the stairs, preparing to drop all the stuff I was holding and go rain holy terror upon that child. I took a step back and as I turned to lay down my burden I saw a tiny, pale 4-year-old standing quietly behind me. Shoes on. "Oops" I said. She remained silent and wide-eyed.

As I unbuckled Sarah's carseat at daycare I said to her "I'm sorry I yelled at you earlier." In fact, I'd made Sarah cry. She nodded her acceptance of my apology. When I got around to Kate's side of the car, before I could utter a word she said "Are you going to say you're sorry for yelling at me? You were scary!"

I'd like to say I felt guilty all the way to work for upsetting my kids, but I didn't. Instead, I felt delighted to finally know I can evoke fear in those two seemingly impervious gremlins. I was sorry for losing my patience with them, but I can't promise I won't do it again.

I once...

I thought I would start this thread after I found myself doing something that I would never have even considered doing before I was a mom. Feel free to comment or start your own.

I once...

...moistened dry wipes with my own saliva to clean my daughter's poop.

Cold Heart, Cold Bath

Last Wednesday my boys had a baby sitter while my husband and I were out. Since this is a regular occurrence the boys know the routine when we are gone. I, of course, reiterated the necessary things to be done while we were gone (mostly for the benefit of the girls who were watching my boys).

1. Take a bath.
2. Brush your teeth.
3. Put on underwear and pj's.

After you are ready for bed you can watch some tv or read some books.

Being a school night with the boys having to get up the next day at 6:30am and us not generally getting home until 8pm, it is important to have this stuff done so they can get in bed as soon as we get home.

We get home and absolutely nothing has been accomplished (since they were playing soccer, in.the.house). Grrrrrr.....

So, I tell the boys to get in the bath, and "I mean now." The bath water did not have enough time to warm up. You would have thought I was killing the boys with all the screaming and howling that was going on. To make it so much worse, I insisted that they sit down in the tub while bathing and dumped LOTS of water over their heads to make sure I got all the shampoo out of their hair...he he. Oh well, guess next time you will take your bath when I tell you or I will be hauled away by DCF after the neighbors complain.