There are two hours in my day that I dread EVERY GOD GIVEN DAY (well, five days I week I suppose). The hour in which the kids get up and I have to get them up, dressed, and out the door by 7:30 and the hour that we come home after I pick them up from daycare, and they are tired, cranky and hungry, and Bob and I are tired, cranky, and hungry. Evenings don’t seem to be as bad as the mornings. Once we get some food in them at night the kids mellow out and play. And 2 on 2 is much easier then 2 on 1.
It seems as though, the combination of trying to get somewhere or do something fast, leave the house in not too much of a disarray and making sure the girls and myself are properly dressed, teeth brushed, hair combed, dogs fed, etc can cause me to have a panic attack anytime I think about it. Often times as I take the elevator up to work, I find myself letting out a deep breath, feeling like I have already put a full day in.
When Anna first wakes up, she is a complete delight. Cuddly and happy. And perfectly content to snuggle in bed watching Disney Junior. But as soon as it is time to get dressed, all hell breaks loose.
A recent morning went like this –
Anna - “It doesn’t spin mom, MY SKIRT DOESN’T SPIN!”
Me - “Yes it does Anna, I promise you, YOUR SKIRT SPINS!”
Anna – “NO it doesn’t! I want to wear my pajamas to school”
Me – “You can’t wear your pajamas today, it isn’t a jammie day”
(I have considered just sending her in her pajamas on non-jammie days, but I know if I did this I would never get her in actual clothes again)
Anna – “I WANT TO WEAR A SKIRT THAT SPINS!”
Me – ““We have no more clean dresses, mommy has to do laundry… no you can’t wear the size 24 month flower girl dress from Liz’s wedding today because it spins…. Why? It doesn’t fit you.”
Me - “Ok, that’s fine, wear whatever you want. Never mind that it is -12 with a -40 windchill, wear the summer dress, I really don’t care”
Anna – “I want to wear my reindeer ear muffs”
(at this point I think to myself, seriously? Do you remember the fit you threw when I tried to get you to wear them at x-mas, but I know enough to know that won’t make us get out the door any earlier so I don’t say anything)
Me - “That’s fine Anna, you can wear your earmuffs, but if you aren’t ready in 5 minutes, Evie and I are leaving and you will have to stay here by yourself all day with the dogs”
(cue the dog’s ears perk up, and give me a look that says, “Really? You are going to leave her here with us?”)
I then catch Anna out of the corner of my eye twirling in a circles as she exclaims, “Look Mommy, my skirt spins!!!!!”
SIGH.
Somehow, however, every morning we make it out alive and live to talk about it. And by the time I sign into my computer at work, I have forgotten about how stressful it was, until the next morning comes. I do know it will get easier someday down the road. Hopefully. Maybe the promise of some warmer weather would help. Maybe come June.
