"Sleeping In"

I told my mom last night that I was so excited because I got to sleep in this morning. I told her that DH was leaving for school at 7:45. She looked at me like I was talking a different language, and finally asked, "How are you sleeping in if he has to leave so early?" Ummm...I guess I was talking a different language, the language of the mom with young children. When you normally get up at 6, sleeping in until 7:15 is HEAVEN!

The boys had trouble settling down last night. I heard them walking around and talking for a while after I had put them to bed. Sometimes they do that and are normally asleep within twenty minutes, so I didn't really worry. Then I heard B calling downstairs, "I'm really sorry!" That's never good. When I went upstairs the smell of baby powder smacked me in the face. The boys, their room, their bed and blankets, their toys, everything was covered with a thick coating of baby powder. I guess the snow forcast arrived a little early for them. They are both repeating, "I'm sorry." "We're really sorry, Mommy." It's driving me nuts - they keep doing things they KNOW they're not supposed to do and then apologizing for it. I keep explaining to them that saying they're sorry after doing something is not enough, that they need to just NOT DO IT!!! I'm sure this is something that is only going to get worse as they get older, so I would love to make the importance of this concept clear to them now. I know, good luck. I decided it was too late for baths at this point, so I washed off their faces and hands, turned their pillowcase over and made them get in bed. I warned DH that when he woke up with them he would need to put them in the bath tub first thing. And that was that. Except for the fact that I still need to clean up the layer of powder covering everything in their room. Joy.

My throat was hurting some last night, and my voice was getting deeper, so I really shouldn't be surprised that my voice is COMPLETELY gone this morning. A whisper is all I'm capable of today. And since I'm in charge of the kids all day, should make for a fun, fun day.

I'm actually going to take them all out this morning. One of the local libraries is hosting "Sally's Music Circle" which is an interactive kids' concert. My guys should love it. And it gives us something to do, which on days like this when I feel like crap is wonderful!

B just announced that he had to pee. I whispered for him to go upstairs! He paused to tell me that if you mix pee you can paint with it (we had been mixing paint colors the day before). I said no, but as he went upstairs he told me, "But you could." I better pay close attention the next time we're painting.

I got a little loving grief from some friends who read my post about perfectionism and being a lazy mom, so I feel I need to respond. I do not doubt that I'm a good mom. I'm often disappointed with myself that I'm not as good a mom as I know I could be. Does that make sense? Don't misunderstand, there are plenty of afternoons when I know that letting the kids watch a lot of tv is a necessity, like when I'm sick or have stayed up all night the night before, or whatever. It's the other times, like yesterday. I made the choice to watch ER Thursday night. Stupid, especially since I know I could have taped it, and I know that I need to be asleep by 10 at the latest to function well. But I did it anyway. So after I dropped the boys off at school and I set up for the Shabbat lunchtime program I teach, I took J home to give her some "breathing medicine" (she was coughing a lot and having trouble catching her breath, so I pulled out the Albuterol). When I was done, I planned out menus for the next week and made a grocery list. After shopping (and entertaining a tired, cranky, and generally melting down toddler), I ran home to drop off the perishables and then ran back to school to pick the boys up. I got them all over to the annex (the building next door to their school where my class takes place) along with the juice, cookies, and challah I picked up from various places around their school. I gave my kids their lunch and then worked on making the final preparations I needed for the class (pouring the paint for our project, pouring the juice for the service). After leading the age-appropriate Shabbat service (during which time MY children were the ones lying in the middle of the rug, not participating), I then directed the kids in planting parsley seeds in a cup and then painting the cup (why is it my children were the ONLY ones who tried to paint the INSIDE of the cup?). We then cleaned up, got the kids all washed up, and brought my three plus DN-A home for a nap/quiet time. After everyone was down for the count, did I A) bring in the groceries still in the car?, B) clear off the breakfast dishes that I left congealing on the table?, or C) lay down on the couch to shut my eyes until the last possible moment I could? Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner. Now granted, after typing all that, I can see why I was tired, but I ended up laying on the couch, only getting up to retrieve J who woke up, or to retrieve a juice cup or two, from 2:30 until almost 5, when we should have been walking out the door to go to my parents' for dinner. It would be one thing if I layed down for half an hour, but I ended up wasting the entire afternoon! The house is a mess (huge understatement), the groceries were not put away, there were so many other things that I NEEDED to do, but I didn't.

Of course, right now I'm sitting at the computer typing while the groceries are all on the table, the house is STILL a mess, and the kids are watching tv.

And B just came in all excited because he discovered I got him "circle crackers." "Thank you, Mommy," he screamed as he put his arms around my neck and planted a kiss on my cheek, "You are the best Mommy I ever had." I guess I'm doing something right. :)