We were supposed to have a playdate this morning, but I canceled because Little man still has some sort of stomach/intestine bug and a mild fever. Baby Girl was insanely fussy...probably because I forgot to wake her up to take her antibiotics last night (for a double ear infection). Both kids had multiple full out meltdowns by 9:00. I decided we needed to get out for a walk. Maybe a little fresh air would help us all out. Another friend decided to join us with her daughter. Getting the babies ready and out the door was far more difficult than I expected - more meltdowns, including a full-out clothes boycott by my super independent two year old.
So, finally we make it out the door and on our walk. Victory! Trying to think ahead, I remembered to put the diaper bag in the stroller. Unfortunately I forgot the wipes in the car. And of course, Little Man had a blowout during the walk. Thankfully, we were near Food Lion, so I took him in, grabbed wipes off the shelf, cleaned him up in the bathroom...and then came the mother's version of a walk of shame. Walking my two year old child with shirt, shoes, and NO pants out of the store - stopping to pay for the pack of wipes on our way out. Thank you thank you thank you to the sweet, understanding older woman in line in front of us.
Finish up our walk, get back home for lunch - more meltdowns, get everyone down for naps....sigh of relief. But then I realize we didn't make it back with Baby Girl's new favorite doll. Get the kids out of bed (Little Man fell asleep very quickly, so carried he slept through most of this in his carseat) and into the car. We spent the next hour retracing our steps - back to Food Lion, check their lost and found (this was the last place I KNEW we had the doll). From there I tried to check our route as best I could without putting the kids back into the stroller. If Little Man had been awake, I probably would have retraced our route on foot (which probably would have been easier and faster). Anyways, we never found the doll. It wasn't an expensive doll, but she just got it for her birthday on Saturday and she LOVES it.
Back home again - Little Man woke up as I was carrying him into the house. Grr. I hate it when naptimes get cut short. I tried putting him down, but he never went back to sleep - which means his usual three hour nap was cut to about one hour. Not good. Baby Girl put up a good "fight", but eventually she fell asleep. I'm not sure what it is, but I get grumpy when simultaneous naptimes don't happen. I had a three tier wedding cake and groom's cake to bake. Then Hubby told me he was tutoring, which meant he wouldn't be home until at least 5:30 (not late, but later than I was hoping because of all the baking I wanted to get done). Meaning, making dinner would be much more difficult.
I'm not sure what it was about today, but by 4:00 I was exhausted and grumpy and trying to decide if I should drink a pot of coffee or a big glass of wine...or both. It wasn't a terrible day, but there were a few frustrations (losing the doll and no naps) that seemed like mountains, rather than molehills, because of all the temper tantrums and meltdowns I had to deal with.
Then, all of a sudden I realized my life is pretty darn perfect. This is a bad day? Really? What am I complaining about? At least I have two healthy children (aside from ear infections and diarrhea) - easy pregnancies, healthy births, and no major defects. They are sweet, loving, and absolutely perfect to me in every way - 2 year old independent streak and 1 year old sass included. At least I have a husband, who is home every night, and who adores all of us. Who provides for us and puts us first. Messy house with piles of dishes? At least I have a warm, cozy house with electricity and running water. And at least my kids have toys to play with. Coffee or wine? At least I'm able to have that choice.
So I chose coffee - two cups at that. Stay up a little later. Bake the cakes when I can. Wash the dishes when I can. Throw five random ingredients in a dish and call it chicken casserole. Fold the (never ending) laundry after the kids go to bed. Life is perfect - just like this little sassy cutie (and her overly independent brother). And I am incredibly thankful to a gracious God who has blessed me so richly.
