All In A Day's Work Part Two

If you haven't read part one yet head down there and read it.

A few notes that I realized I had forgotten just so it all fits together...

I later discovered that when Zack had been playing with my razor, he also cut his hair. This is something I would normally take a picture of and post on my blog ASAP except that my camera is GONE (sob.) But, he's got two chunks of hair completely missing on one side of his head. Shaved right down to the scalp. Probably not all THAT noticeable to anyone but me, but still.

Also, Mark while doing some homework coloring decided to color Zack's face. These were also not washable markers, so even though I washed his face there was still lots of marker on the boy with the partly shaved head.

Ben ate some of the moon sand before I had a chance to clean it up.

I think that is all the important stuff I forgot, but I did reallllly wish I had some gum on the way to curriculum night and I'm sure that in addition to looking disheveled and mortar on my foot that I also had Taco Salad breath. Nice, right?

Anyway, that was Tuesday and after collapsing into bed I had a pretty good night. Zack came and joined us in our bed about 2 AM "Peeeeas pull me UP Momma, I want to nuggle with YOU." Which, I can never resist because I love those Zack snuggles... Here's the continuation of the story.

Wednesday

5:15 ish AM I am jolted awake by the hideous sound of the house alarm wondering what the heck is happening. Kevin bolts out of bed and runs to 1. turn it off and 2. investigate. Mark comes into our room and says "Benny went in the garage mom." Kevin ran to get Ben and I told Mark that he was to NEVER... EVER... get Ben out of bed. EVER! Not that I haven't said that before. Thankfully, Ben did go back to bed and I sent Mark back too although I suspect he never went to sleep. Any ideas to get this kid to NOT wake up at 5 AM and do crazy stuff, I'd love to hear it. I am not a morning person and this is not really amusing anymore. PLUS I'm sure it exacerbates some of our other behavior issues.

6:30 we were up for the day whether I liked it or not and it went a little something like this. "Hey guys, here's your clothes, let's get dressed." They completely ignore me and go running in circles around and around the living room table. I was a teeny bit distracted getting breakfast ready so I didn't immediately realize they were IGNORING me. Until someone said "MOOOOOOOOOM, he said I'm a (insert 5 year old insult here, I can't remember which one.) blah blah blah, whine whine whine." NOT getting dressed. SO I told them again to get dressed. And a third time and finally I warned them that there would be NO TV TIME IF YOU DON'T GET DRESSED IN THE NEXT 3 MINUTES. And I set the timer. Which got them moving but not without lots of bickering... Advice on that also welcome! I also bathed the Zack and Ben because Zack still had marker on his face and Ben had breakfast alllll over his body.

8:15 Finally all ready and heading out the door. Saying goodbye to Kevin who was staying home for the day to get some of the tiling that we had to UNDO redone.

After dropping the kids at school we went to the pediatrician, who told me Ben did indeed have a yeast rash and agreed that his eczema is out of control. (Big fat "phhhhhhhbbbbbt" to the doctor who scoffed at my concern for this earlier this year.) She prescribed stuff for the yeast and stuff for the eczema and then we decided to get him tested for food allergies in case that was what was causing the outbreaks. Thank GOODNESS because I have felt HELPLESS against this eczema and it not only looks hideous, it bothers him. If there's something we can avoid to help it stay away I'm ALL for it. Have I mentioned I LOVE our pediatrician?

Then we looked at Zack and she told me not to worry about his little speech quirks, that as long as people understand him 3/4 of the time he is okay. I think mostly he is understandable but I may be wrong. I get it when he counts "One, Two, Hee, Hore" and can translate "hidge" to fridge and "boo tee hull" to beautiful. So, I guess he's okay there. I guess. I still worry because I am a mom and that is my job.

Then came the shots and the feeling horrid for inflicting the pain on my babies but they both were FINE after a sticker. Thank goodness for stickers.

10:30 headed to Target to get the meds the doc prescribed.

It was actually a pretty boring afternoon. Ben napped, Zack played and I was the level girl/tile wiper/ pretty much not all that much help helper.

3:00 Boys bound in the door, one of them carrying his shirt. I ask him why he has no shirt and no answer. Kevin tells him to put his shirt on. We snack, and I grill them about their day. I don't remember the exact conversation but Mark got sent to bed for talking back and IGNORING me. I went to check on him about 5 minutes later and he was out like a light. See, he's exhausted.

When I was upstairs checking on Mark I heard Ben stirring and walked in to him digging in his diaper and he then before I could stop him he put his hand in his mouth. His poop covered hand. I shrieked "Nooooooooooooooo" and picked him up very carefully and carried him down and gave him yet another bath. Washed his sheets, and his wall, and just laughed because it was that or cry. Then I sat and wondered if he was going to get very, very sick from ingesting poop from a yeast infected diaper. So far, he's okay.

5:00 It was getting increasingly hard to keep the kids out of Kevin's way and he was making good progress and didn't want to stop. So, I decided to take the kids out to dinner. Mark picked Arby's and I smiled as Eric high fived him and told him "GREAT choice Mark!" That's what I want to bottle and keep forever. Those moments are priceless and make all the other stuff worth it!

The only problem with taking ALL four with me to feed them dinner is that I also had to go to the grocery store for just a few things, but four kids in the grocery store under the absolute best circumstances is still so, so hard. BUT! I made it! We survived. Whew

7:00 Roll in the door and put the baby to BED with his nice fresh sheets. Given the fact that he had already been bathed twice I didn't think he needed another.

7:15 Other kids in the tub. My tub so they could all fit and because there are still a few tiles that need cleaned off in the other downstairs bathroom.

7:45 Everyone in jammies, prayers and bed. Blissfully, because sometimes it all just works out (and they were really super super tired) they were all asleep almost immediately. Even Ben, who briefly woke up when I went to tuck in Eric.

Then Kevin did a few more tiles and we sat down and watched The Closer that we had recorded Monday night but hadn't had time to watch. It was really nice to have some downtime.

A few notes in conclusion:

To Eric: Please don't let your brother aggravate you so much. When you flip out and whine over everything he does he's getting exactly what he wants.

To Mark: Leave your older brother alone. Also, you don't HAVE to have the last word and argue with me over every.single.issue.

To Zack: Mommy's bedroom and bathroom are off limits. No more cut fingers and shaved heads.

To Ben: PLEASE don't eat crap. I mean that literally and figuratively.

To everyone reading this: I hope you don't think I'm complaining. I actually find most of this stuff kind of funny in a weird sort of way. It doesn't always feel funny when I'm living it but I write from a place of being a mom is hard but, dude, it's NEVER boring. I try to keep that in perspective, and I often fail at that, but I try. I have to check my attitude on a daily basis when I find myself impatient or grouchy. I don't know if I'm conveying what I'm trying to here, but don't think I'm resentful or complaining about all this. I just hope it gives you a smile or to feel like you are not alone (because I know my kids aren't the only little crazies out there! )