It's amazing how so many emotions can run through a person in just one day. Tuesday morning started out with me feeling like motherhood was the greatest thing in the world and that I had the two cutest, silliest kids on earth. Unfortunately, the day did not end with these positive feelings towards my kids, life and especially motherhood.
THE MORNING... 6:30 AM
While Dave showers I usually lay in bed (I'm NOT a morning person) not wanting to open my eyes to the world but I started hearing giggles then Dave yells, "Amber, you've got to see this." So I run in to find the following...
Julianne was so pleased with herself-- soaking wet and happy as a clam.
Julianne is so good for Zach! We have tried to get him to get in the shower, just to experience something new, but he always refused. After seeing Julianne laughing and Dave and I laughing with her, he decided it must be fun and joined in. I was so glad because he was so happy and wanted to stay in for a while by himself.
7:30 AM
After reading scriptures (you better believe I threw this in-- mostly as redemption for myself for the way the day ended) Dave told Zach to show him his muscles. Zach got so into it and I just happened to have my camera handy from the shower episode. Look at Zach's face! He is so stinkin' cute.
When JuJu saw that showing your muscles got such a great reaction, she chimed right in.
9AM
Every Tuesday morning Zach has gymnastics (this was quite the stretch for Dave to allow this but I think it is great for his coordination, flexibility- or serious lack of it, etc.). There used to be several boys in his class but now Zach is the only boy (as always). I don't think he even notices because he loves every minute of it and two of his best friends (yes they are girls) are in it as well.
So after gymnastics we went to Target and I was feeling quite generous so I let the kids pick out a bag of golf fish to eat while we shopped. When we got home I fed Julianne and put her down for a nap then I put on a movie for Zach while he ate his lunch. Zach has never really been into watching tv or sitting still for a full 30 minute Thomas the Train movie, not until recently. I don't love tv for kids but it is the ONLY time I have for myself so I'm actually glad he is enjoying it a little more.
AFTERNOON MADNESS.. 1:00 PM
So Julianne wakes up after a lousy hour "nap" (the girl cannot figure out the one nap thing. I swear she is almost two and still wants to take two naps! Sorry girl.). Unlike Zach, when Julianne doesn't get enough sleep she is a nightmare. She gets really aggressive, angry, crazy and plain out of control. Zach and Julianne don't play well together, at all, and this particular afternoon were the worst confrontations thus far. For half and hour straight, Julianne would throw a car at Zach's face. Zach would yell at Julianne, "we don't throw" and then proceed to hit her in the face. Julianne would cry for a split second before she hit Zach right back in the face. Zach would sob and scream and tell JuJu, "we don't hit" and then proceed to push her down. Somehow Julianne would manage to fall right on top of a toy each time and them scream in pain. In that thirty minutes I comforted and put each one in time out I don't know how many times. During the last time out for each kid I put myself in time out too because I was beginning to lose it.
The next big episode was much like the above episode but with a little twist. I am holding Julianne while she is crying, after Zach has pushed her down, but I can't put Zach into time out because he needs to go to the bathroom. After thirty seconds Zach is screaming that he went #2 and needs my help. I walk in the bathroom to find the entire floor covered in pee. For anyone that knows Zach knows that the kid is a camel and drinks more water than I thought a body could hold. Yes well now all that water/pee is now on my bathroom floor. I 'm not sure at this point if Zach does this on purpose (for attention) or if he just waits too long to go to the bathroom and doesn't quite make it. Anyway, I surprisingly didn't get upset but started to clean up the pee without saying a word. The silence really upset Zach so he is now saying he is sorry. Then JuJu tries to get in on the action but Zach quickly jumps off the toilet and slams the door so hard that she goes flying backward, slips on his underwear and bangs her head on the cold, hard tile. Now I am MAD!!!!!! Julianne is screaming bloody murder, the pee is still all over the floor and Zach is standing in it and I have completely lost my mind. I scream and then just walk away with my heart beating 110 miles a minute.
LATE AFTERNOON (for the Maughan kids).. 3 PM
The home situation was clearly not going well so I decided to get the kids out of the house and go swimming. Zach was scheduled to have his first swim lesson at 4:30 pm so I just thought we would go early and get him used to the water, but more importantly, out of each other's hair.
We swim and have the best time and then it's time for Zach's lesson to begin. All the other children are sitting quietly and nicely on the steps and then I tell Zach to go sit down too... and the drama begins! Zach starts kicking and screaming and hitting and pulling and I am MORTIFIED! Zach used to act like this in any new situation but I thought he had outgrown it. Apparently not! So I am trying to calm him down and talk to him and then I look over to find JuJu half way in the water, fully clothed, splashing around having the best time. I grab her out, before she drowns, and she kicks and screams and hits and BITES! Now I am really MORTIFIED! At the same time I am wanting to punch the mom that is staring me down, shaking her head, thinking who knows what kinds of thoughts. I am also mad at the other 6 moms that know Julianne is my daughter and fail to tell me she is getting in the water or even help me by telling her to get out themselves. Where's the love? I am shaking at this point, sweating and wanting to auction off my kids to the highest bidder. We stay for a few minutes for Zach to just "watch" but Julianne is still screaming because she wants to go in the pool and then I look at Zach and his eyes are totally glazed over (he is chronically tired). So we leave. I am quiet the whole way home. Dave was working late that evening and wouldn't be there to help with the kids so I have to battle them through dinner and getting them into bed.
EVENING... 6:30 PM
The kids are down and I am crying thinking that motherhood, my life and my kids STINK! Thank heavens for a new day!
11 comments:
i'm so glad you posted about this, amber. it's nice to know that i'm not the only one with these kind of days!
and by the way, if i had been there, i would totally have grabbed little JuJu before she hopped into the pool!
oh amber! you are such a great mom- and i that is SO lame of those other moms! love you!
Ok, just like I wrote on Emily's, this made my day. Not by any means am I glad all this happened to you in one day, it just reassures me that I'm not the only one that has freak outs and feelings like this. And why does everything have to happen all on the same day anyway? We need a Vacay, bad. Chicago????? Or let's just tell our hubbies we are going there and we can really just hide out for a few days downtown! Love ya girl!
Oh Amber, can I just tell you that I can still remember days like that all these years later! Not the specific details, but the kids wanting to kill each other and me wanting to kill them! I think that if a mother says she doesn't have them she's lying!!!There were many a day when I fell like running away from home. Can't believe those other mothers though. And thank goodness we can always wake up to a new day!!!
amber, i loved reading every second of that...first because it makes me feel like i'm not such a bad mom, and that it's not just MY kids! and second because i can just see you all sweaty and so mad! :) not that it's funny, but it kind of is, to read it.
claire has the same suite as juju..(of course!) :)
and can't wait to see you in a couple of weeks!!
amber, i love you. we all can relate to this-you are a wonderful mom (even when you get upset) so don't feel bad about that. i have many days like this and i do end them crying sometimes. i'm so glad we all have eachother!
If it makes you feel any better Amber, sometimes I cry for no apparent reason. I don't even have kids...blame it on dad, he's the crier!
ps I don't really cry...or wear pink polo shirts like J!
Amber!! I have got to tell you that I just spent the last hour catching up on your blog! You have the CUTEST kids! I can't believe how big they are getting, and so cute! You look great too (of course) and your hair is so long I can't believe it. Ju Ju looks so much like you, she has such beautiful eyes!
I have definitely shared that day with you many times, and it is true what you say, at least there is a new day to just start over. It is so hard in the middle of it, though. I'm still just amazed you can get your kids in bed at 6:30!!
Hey, Im so glad I found you on the blog... I love you Amber!
Hi Amber,
I found your blog off someone else's blog in the ward. Anyway, your blog is cute! It's fun to catch up and see how big your kids have grown. What a funny post...although I felt so bad about the swimming lessons incident! You are a champion if you get your kiddos in bed by 6:30! There's NO way my kids would have gone to bed at that time, when they were that age. By the way, you're a great mom, and don't you think otherwise!
Hey Amber I just found your blog and I am so excited, I am actually taking a break from my kids as we speak so what a coincidence that this is the day I found you! I know you are a great mom and it's fun to see your darling kids! Sara
Amber this is hilarious. The pictures of the kids are adorable. It is amazing the range of intense emotions they have all day. It's crazy.
I can't remember are you for sure not coming to HH? I miss you guys!
xo
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