Live from the OMSI

Last night before bed, I noticed that my throat was all scratchy and raw. Was I coming down with a cold? Had sick season begun even before the first day of school?

No.

My throat was sore from yelling at my kids all day.

That was the kind of day we had, the kind of week we've had. The kind of week where I seriously start to question how great of an idea it was to even HAVE children, much less decide to spend so much time with them ON PURPOSE.

Why can't my kids just DO WHAT I SAY?! Or at the very least stop doing everything I tell them not to? Why do I have to threaten them with everything up to and including bodily harm for them to listen?

I go out of my way to try to be the fun one, the mellow parent who just wants to hang out and relax with her kids. I'm not a drill seargent or a task master; I'm relatively easy going.

And it seems to be biting me in the ass.

Maybe, though, just maybe, it's me. And just in case it is, I've decided to approach this the way I usually approach people insistent on driving me crazy (like my husband). I'm going to do the opposite of what I FEEL like doing (which is to sell them on Ebay) and shower them with affection and try my best to put their needs first. This usually works on Dave, so I'm hopeful it will work on his progeny.

So that's why I'm writing this post from the OMSI, where my children are both happily amusing themselves in science world, a place I would normally rather cut off my big toe than take my children to alone. But here we are Having Fun.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Comments

[Annagrace]

They're all in this together, apparently, because this week Penelope has pretty much treated me like she'd like to sell ME on EBAY. She has actually rolled her eyes at me when her behavior has been questioned...which is so awesome considering she's only TWO!

But we love OMSI. We just about lived there the past couple of winters. The Children's Museum up by the zoo is also really fun. I have memberships to both so we should go together sometime--one of us can hold the baby while the other chases the mobile ones.

[rachel]

Yeah, unfortunately I'm discovering the same thing: when Byron is the most obnoxious? That's when he needs the most love, snuggles, and attention. And, of course, the time I feel least inclined to give it, voluntarily.

One thing I've recently discovered that makes a HUGE difference to the whole day: ten minutes of cuddling right when he wakes up. He hasn't been a bastard yet, so I don't mind giving it, and it seems to prevent grumpiness later in the day, somehow. Like, he had ALL my attention, right when he needed it most, and so he is more resilient the rest of the day.

Of course, I don't know how well that works for two, if they got up at the same time...

[Kookaburra]

Oh I feel for you. Tuesday and Wednesday were the days from hell around here too. My daughter (2 yrs) was a complete nightmare child. Luckily her little brother (7 months) is too young to be so bad.

It was so bad that at one point I broke down in tears and my daughter (who was in time out) started mimicking (making fun of) my crying and saying boo hoo hoo.

I think my head darn near blew right off my body.

[Astarte]

All I can say is, it's a damn good thing school started this week, because one more week and we wouldn't all have lived to see Labor Day. Seriously. I don't know what gets into those little weinerheads!

DH and I joke that Patrick's reset button is in his butt. By the end of the summer, it seemed to be lodged pretty far down there.

[laura]

okay this has nothing to do with OMSI but i can so relate about the HAIR ISSUE! i went for a fresh summer cut in june and it wasnt my regular hair salon anyways omg i had to wear my baseball hat for 4 weeks, no kidding it was a mullet and all i could was wear the hat or cry! finally it is cut cute in a angel bob. but what hell..good luck :)

[Denise]

can i just say how much i enjoy reading your blog? seriously. you make me feel like i'm not the only one losing my mind with my kids (a 2yr old and a 3 month old...ah those lovely 2s..). plus, i'm always guaranteed a good laugh or 2! thanks for helping another frazzled mom retain her sanity!

[g-mom]

Daughter usually considers burying them in the backyard....but then theres the dilemma of Jail time etc. LOL
G-daughter #1, 14yo decided that WE not T.S. Fay puposely ruined her "life" this weekend. Finally I convinced her that she was within an inch of having her young life snatched away from her if she didn't quick bitching! Daughter is a good mom too, but there are those occasions when insanity reins rather than the sane loving mom you want to be.