Mommy lessons learned.

This has been a week of a million, mandatory, errands.  I have come to realize, this week, that we had thrown every sense of "normalcy" out the window the last few weeks of December.  I have also come to realize I let a lot of things slip too.  To amuse myself, and hopefully you, I am going to compile a list of things I have learned this week through my boys.  It's not too long - but it is long enough.  Please enjoy the laughs.  :)

Lesson #1
While it may seem feasible and sensible at the time, do NOT schedule one appointment a day for four days straight.  Yes, you will be able to get a lot of tasks done at once; however by the end of the week, you will have two MISERABLE and CRANKY toddlers.  I'm talking throw ourselves across the floor miserable, over toys going into the toy jail bucket after 9 warnings.

Lesson #2
There was a reason I created the 3 strike rule.  And while I may have temporarily forgotten why, became lax over Christmas, etc., it is now back in place.  This has meant that I am officially the bad guy, and this is even being expressed by my 16 month old.  He flat out told me, "No.  Want Dada." Then the screaming and tears followed over a simple, yet necessary, diaper change.  I am also the mean one that has placed more toys in toy jail over the week, simply for not listening.  There is no more arguing with a 2 1/2 year old over when it is time to clean up.  I am so over it; yet I know I have a good 16 more years of that facing me and laughing.  :)

Lesson #3
Reverse psychology does not always work.  When I arrived in the living room this morning after checking on the Carter nap situation, I found marker all over the rug.  I had literally just told him one minute earlier, that since those were window markers they could only be used on the windows.  Instead of expressing my frustrations, I tell Pierce, "I'm sorry Pierce.  I shouldn't have left those out for you to use unsupervised.  Can you help me clean them up?"  The response, "No Momma.  You messed up.  Not me."  Well.  What more could I say to that?

Lesson #4
Even if you think they are not listening, they totally are.  I was discussing on the phone this morning with one of my friends, that we are starting to look at places in Waterbury.  When she asked why, I explained there are a lot of parks, the schools are not horrible, and it was close for Dan's work so that we could cut the gas budget.  Then we moved on to something else.  While this discussion was taking place, Pierce and Carter were both playing somewhat peacefully with their trains.  A short bit after I got off the phone, Pierce asked if we could go to Waterbury.  When asked why he responded, "Because.  There are lots of things to do and the schools are nice."  Well, okay little parrot.  And no, we have not left the house today.

Lesson #5 (I promise only a few more)
Quality time doesn't have to cost money or be fancy.  I had gotten into the habit of doing something exciting with them for quality time.  After the meltdown at 11 pm last night with Pierce, and Carter ending up in our bed every night for the past three weeks, I refused to go anywhere today.  But Pierce kept asking me to do something special with him.  After adjusting MY viewpoint, I created three little stations.  We had bubble art (food coloring in bubbles, blow against white paper, watch them pop.), window markers (thank you Crayola), and trains.  Then I turned everything off and played with them.  No dishes, no TV, no phone, nothing.  I did not instruct or guide.  I did not inter-vein in any arguments.  I just watched them create different scenarios, and followed their lead with what they wanted to do.  Pierce wanted to use the window markers to practice his "P" and "A", while Carter thought it was hilarious to pretend to eat marker.  With us moving in a few months and the budget being constricted even more, I have to remember this. So thank you boys, for this EXTREMELY important lesson.

Lesson #6
I can say all I want that I am going to get up at 5 am to go to the gym.  Unless I actually sleep the night before, it is not going to happen.  I also need to realize that if I want me time, without the hysterics of Mommy leaving later, and a husband giving me the "REALLY?!  You are going to leave now?!" look, I better get up with the roosters.  So, cock-a-doodle-do!

Lesson #7 (and the final)
Children are children.  They are amazing little people who learn form everything.  Way too often I found myself short tempered and running like a crazy woman to this appointment, that errand, this place, that place, and telling Pierce to hurry up, or telling Carter to stop whining.  They don't want to do all of this stuff.  They do not want to sit in the car for hours a day.  They want to play, explore, and learn.  I needed to reevaluate myself this week, and I was NOT the mom I wanted to be.  I need to learn to not let my stresses effect them.  Let them be kids.  And I am not ashamed to tell my boys I am sorry.  I am only human too, and I messed up this week.  Thank you, despite the meltdowns, for putting up with me.  Thank you for still ending every night with "I love you to the moon and back" and thank you for still doing your ape walk towards me with arms stretched out while you say up so we can snuggle.  Forgiveness is something that everyone is born with.  And I need to learn more from my children about being a better person.

Have a great day everyone!  And hope you guys enjoyed this.  For now, I am out for a full 24 hours without my boys, and one night of uninterrupted sleep.  Yippee!

Kelly