I currently have a 3rd child in tow-same age as Elliot-for a few months this winter. The girls play just as well as they fight and today they had already lost an afternoon Christmas movie privilege. However, I wanted to watch said Christmas movie (Muppets Christmas Carol-SO good!) so I gave them a second chance. We were all smiles and all clear on the expectations as we left the van.
Just before we left I found $3-the exact amount for a tall americano. Yes! With coffee in hand we head downstairs to the train table. What happened next is a miserable, time stand still blur. A true picture of the horrors of parenting. (Disclaimer: this came as no surprise as we have been dealing with 'threenager' like attitude and behaviour for sometime-just not to this magnitude in public...to prove my point this morning she yelled that she was not 3, but 15!)
It started with a spat over a train...this allowing for the bad attitude to settle in nicely. Next we are shoving our brothers train off the track to get by. I believe 2 minutes has past since arriving. By the time we've yelled and shoved our brother out of the way for the second time, we're done. I have removed her from the train table. I also still need to purchase something (and I came across the city in a snowstorm a week before Christmas so I am not going back, plus I need this item). So leaving the store immediately with 3 kids just wasn't happening. In the stroller she goes, screaming and crying all the while. My phone rings, I step aside and answer. Next thing I know Elliot's tipped the stroller, banged her head on the floor and spilled the contents of the stroller all over the floor.
Sometimes God sends you the right people in the midst of the crazy. A very kind woman picked up my things and my stroller so I could pick up Elliot. She proceeded to tell me I'm a good mom and I'm doing the right thing. Words I so rarely hear as a mom. Words I have felt desperate to hear lately, in the midst of really hard parenting. It made me tear up-but I still had a situation on my hands and something I HAD to buy.
Elliot is strapped in now (still screaming) and no one knows where this bloody item is! There's 4 in store (I made sure to check before leaving). I think 10-15 very long minutes pass while we traipse around the store (screaming) trying to find this item. Item found, proceed to checkout to pay. Where my two year old (tomorrow) son will not pick himself off the floor. He's screaming now too because why the heck not. And I couldn't pick him up and carry him because the stress and the crazy and the things and the screaming!
I am a desperate woman. My kids have been waking up so early. This morning it was in the 5's. So I was resolved and determined to go and buy one of those clocks that change colour when it's time to wake up. Maybe they'll sleep longer? Then maybe we won't be a bunch of crazies in public? Just Maybe?
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| Not from today, but a depiction of the attitude:). Elliot saying "Uggghhhh!!" at being asked to smile by the tree. |
I sure don't know what I'm doing when it comes to parenting. I have laughed and cried at today. I have been encouraged and humbled (someone also called me ma'am-if that's not humbling I don't know what is!). So, onwards we go...and let's all pray the clock works!
***I often think in movie lines-guesses on which movie the title of this post is from??!***
