It has been one of those mom days where I feel like I’m running on a treadmill—using up a lot of energy but not GETTING anywhere. It’s amazing how even if I’m being super productive and energetic and happy, it’s so easy to let small obstacles/incidents mar my satisfaction of accomplishment and dampen my good mood. I’m writing a few snapshots from today so that later I can look back and see through all the haze of in-the-moment-ness to the successes hidden beneath the other Mom Stuff.
Jeff went back to school this week—teachers’ in service started on Wednesday at Sunnyside High School. So did the 2 online classes he’s taking this fall. It’s always hard to adjust to NOT having Jeff around all the time again. I like having some space in some ways, but in other ways, I miss him so much!
I just cleaned and mopped all 2.5 of our bathrooms. It was bleachy. My nostrils feel singed and my brains feel buzzy. It took longer than one Ninja Turtles episode to clean them, so Jay was asking for a snack and playing with Spencer under foot while I finished up.
Rose had two accidents in her undies today. One was a lot more than just wet. Gag. She has been so reluctant to go potty by herself for the past 2 weeks. Whenever I say “it’s time to go potty,” she either lays down and goes limp so I have to drag her bodily to the bathroom and plunk her on the potty or she runs and hides. And then she refuses to put her clothes back on by herself when she’s done. It drives me crazy! At least she always goes when I finally do get her onto the toilet (knock on wood!). Lesson: never take a potty-trained child for granted.
This week I finished Downton Abbey Season 3. Lame ending. I know exactly what they should’ve done. Then end.
Jay and Spencer have had a few physical altercations and verbal disagreements today. Jay has a big purple bruise on his forehead as a souvenir. It’s hard when a friend is over and they keep requiring parental intervention. Just PLAY! Share! Be nice!
I have been brainstorming ideas for “home preschool” this week, and I finished up my list of plans for our first section today. It’s going to be just me, Jay, and Rose. We’re going to look at our preschool list every day and pick what we feel like doing. Read a story, talk, sing, and do a project each day more or less—don’t tell Jay but basically normal life, but a little more consistent with the projects. That’s about as low-key and easy as I could make it. I’ve been talking it up to Jay, and he’s getting excited. Hopefully home preschool lives up to his hopes and dreams.
Spencer asks me questions that make no sense, like “how long is it?” And when I say “I don’t understand—how long is what?” he just repeats his question over and over at varying volumes and speeds. That communication barrier is still an utter mystery to me. I know it sounds funny though.
Spencer starts first grade on Wednesday, so we have him for 2 more days and then no more. We’ve liked having him this summer. It’ll be good and nice for me to have my own two kids to myself again, but I hope they won’t badger me too much about having Spencer over. Weekends are full enough of “is Spencer coming over today?” as it is.
I made bread today.
Every time the kids go outside to play, they forget to close the door. They like to come in and out often. So all morning today, I was calling/yelling/begging “PLEASE CLOSE THE DOOR!” every ten minutes or so.
I used an asparagus knife today. I feel like an official resident of the Yakima Valley now. Jasen came over to borrow our wheelbarrow and while he was here he handed me an asparagus knife and helped me whack down all the awful thorny goat head plants that took over our ugly rocky side yard. We hacked and yanked at the roots and then rolled scraggly viney thorns up like a carpet. Now our trash can is full of “owie pokers.” Hopefully we can keep those noxious weeds at bay long enough to grow grass over there next spring.
Whenever I say “just a minute” or “in 5 minutes” or something like that to Jay, he asks “has it been a minute yet?” or “how many minutes are left?” or “can we ___ now?” about every 20 seconds till I do what he asks, get what he needs, etc.
I have not showered yet, and it’s after 3pm. My hair is in an amazing version of a pony tail, with 100 clips and a headband to force it up there.
We are leaving for an over night trip 3.5 hours away (to attend the wedding reception of one of Jeff’s cousins whom I’ve met like once, briefly) in an hour and I really need to pack and tidy up. All I really want to do is sink into my chair and read.
Alas, duty calls. Onward!
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