We had a warm day the other day, almost like a preview of Spring. It has melted all the remaining snow we had and flooded all the streams and creeks which has turned them into raging rivers. We had to go out to the post office yesterday and the road follows a small river nearly the whole 8 miles there. If I could, I would have parked on the side of the road and just watched. I love when the rivers get swollen and water rushes over rocks and tree trunks and then when it recedes, I love to see where the water had been, to see the grass folded down and the soil eroded in new locations.
I used to dream of having a house near a creek, to be able to walk barefooted in the cool waters, feeling the rocks beneath my toes. It seems like when I was a kid, I was always drawn to the creeks and spent hours there, sometimes reading a book on a fallen log across the water, sometimes walking the creek beds searching for tadpoles, sometimes imagining myself as a pirate searching for treasure.
Our home now is nowhere near a creek, but when there is heavy rain, the water flows from somewhere inside the mountain we live on and pops out in a spring on the other side of our property. We walk the kids over there and watch and try to figure out where the water comes from. It streams down, making it's way under the secondary driveway all the way over to the main drive and finally down to the street. When conditions are right, meaning when I am in a permissive mood and it's not too cold, the kids are allowed to run and slip and slide in the rushing stream by the main drive. It's all grass there and they can get themselves soaked and laugh and play until they are tired and pooped.
I had a rough day today. I had my own meltdown and I snapped at the kids for little things. I had a headache above my right eye and every scream from the kids made it throb. Peter wouldn't nap today, so there was no 4-hour "break" from constantly keeping an eye on Peter and getting him out of the dog food, the litterbox, the markers, the box of papers in the office, the newspaper, the dog food again... I had to make meals with him underfoot and he likes to get between me and the counter and push me away to get my attention onto him. If I ignore him, he takes a chomp out of my inner thigh- yow!
The girls were constantly bickering over the play kitchen and I was almost sorry I made it for them. Sylvia comes crying because Gretchen snatched away a pot; Gretchen comes crying because Evelyn called her a name; Evelyn comes crying because Gretchen is singing too loud; Gretchen comes crying because Evelyn told her to "shut up"; Sylvia comes crying because Evelyn and Gretchen won't play with her; and on and on it goes. It's days like these that make me wish I put them into public school.
I got snippy with Andrew for getting snippy with the kids which made him snippy with me and that makes me get snippier. I even started feeling jealous of the dog with all the attention he was giving her and not to me!! ugh! I think it's safe to say we need to get out of the house and do something different for a day, to recharge our batteries and change our environment. Too much of being home all the time without a change of scenery. Maybe we'll try to go somewhere in a couple of days, I'll pack a lunch and we can take a drive with the kids.
Tomorrow is a new day.
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5 comments:
Sometimes it can all get a bit much can't it!! Your right, a change is as good as a rest....have a lovely day out :-)
C x
I'm sorry to hear that your day didn't go well yesterday. We ALL have those days! ;) Here are some ideas for keeping the peace with the play kitchen:
* use cardboard boxes to create more stoves or a refrigerator or a microwave
* keep a small table and chairs near the play kitchen so the kids have more surface space
* when fighting ensues, tell them that you were not there and did not witness what happened and that they need to work it out amongst themselves (I swear this works! Two girls I babysat were constantly coming to me for every little bickering that occurred until I finally told them to work it out with each other like taking turns with an object for one minute each-using a timer. They came to me less often but I kept telling them to work it out until they finally stopped coming to me.)
Good luck! =)
just take comfort in knowing that YOU'RE COMPLETELY NORMAL! everyone has those days now & then! i hope u do get out to have that drive/lunch & today is a MUCH better day!
I'm not having any more babies. Just. No. If I'm insane with one I'd go bonkers with 4. You're still a super mom to me Jenny, I know you'll have a better day tommorow :)
Carol- They're calling for bad weather this weekend, so wait and see. I feel much better now, it was just one of those days, I suppose. :o)
Keri-- We have a little play table with chairs for them, but we aren't using it right now because Peter uses it to climb higher furniture! ack!! So it's been put away until later.
thanks for the great tips.. I'll try them and see how they go, but I also know it was just me and I was just having one of those days. My patience level was just waaaaaayy down that day, as well.
We'll be working on the felt food this weekend! Can't wait! :o)
Mama Skates-- I got out for a little bit to the stores and it was good to not have to answer to a kid for a while. I'm thankful my husband understands and stays home with the kids to let me have some time alone. :o)
Gringa-- LOL! I sure don't feel like super mom! I did have a better day, thanks hon! :o)
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