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Thursday, January 29, 2009

Darn that yellow backpack


Yea! Today I was so excited all the kids finally had school, 2 hours late to let some of the ice melt, but still it was school.
Getting my kids out the door is one of the worst parts of my day, it even made my 100 list this year. I think they are all 3 OCD, extra sensitive to heat, cold, can not stand to have their hair brushed, scream when they are mad type of kids. Don't get me wrong they can match in Gymboree like no other but they can make me crazy.

I even had a good friend tell me recently, "Well you know you have really hard kids". -- What? This made me happy and sad - Sad that I have really hard kids, but happy to know it is not just me. I don't know if I agree with her but it is true we don't eat a meal, brush teeth, get dressed, get in the car, get out of the bath without someone crying (i mean screaming crying) really hard.
So, in the mornings I get to do all of them in 50 minutes.


This morning was the same old story. Sally Jane will never walk to the car on her own. So I try what every book and teacher says, "don't pick her up, she will eventually walk" - maybe at 4:oo pm - hey this is my free time the sooner I get to the car the sooner it starts. So I am walking out the door Sally Jane screaming, carrying backpacks, getting the bag of the last of the Christmas items to be returned,(so I can do that while they are in school) the snowman homework for Caroline that was due 2 weeks ago, - I won't relive it, it was just utter chaos. I told Sally Jane, "you must carry your back pack in the car". The crying of I didn't get to open the door myself, I don't like the way you buckle my seat belt, I dropped my sharing for school, I want to shut the door and so on - began and lasted most of the drive.
So, we drop off Annie Kate then head to the preschool about 10 min from home and we get out and guess what never made it in the car, The dang yellow backpack. Which means SJ does not have a lunch. Her class had 30 more min before she moved to Enrichment where all they really do is eat lunch. I also had no stroller or the bag of returns. We take Caroline in who is still upset because she does not like underwear to touch her bum, but Sally Jane just bought an afternoon with me. (could she have done this on purpose?)
I went to the mall anyway (not a mall fan) to look for underwear for Caroline. Of course we get there and sweet Sally Jane has to go to the bathroom. She is too tired to walk, She is hungry. My patience was wearing on me.
I go into Gymboree to get their awesome boy cut underwear for Caroline (AK's favorite) That store looked worse than Goodwill. I had not been in a long time and they must just be getting rid of all old lines, but the whole store was hanging by size not by style and they were all out of the underwear. So I bought Caroline some boys boxers. She loves them but I am waiting for her to ask why there is a hole in the front.
It was just one of those days. One of those crazy days you never really write about but happen all the time.
Goodbye January 29th I am going to bed and I am keeping an extra yellow backpack in the car for emergencies.

21 comments:

Price Cream Parlor said...

I love that you posted this! As much as it is something that drives you nutso - it is life. We each have our own 'stuff' and sometimes we don't write about that 'stuff'. I think that it is important to remember (not that it isn't seared in our memory forever already...) but there will come a day when your littles can read this and have an eye opener.
It's life. Our life. Sometimes I wonder how I signed up for such madness - other days it works itself out. Kinda a balancing act of sanity I suppose.
** You're the best!
My mantra (I wear it around my neck from my sista @ Lilylane.com -"Keep calm and carry on" - sometime I have to chant it OUTLOUD! HA!
Thanks for YOUR post. I actually needed to hear this today. Make "ME" feel ok. (is that wrong?) ha!

Price Cream Parlor said...

"makeS"
ugh

denise @ little ant design said...

Thanks for the post of reality. As moms we all need to read stuff like this occasionally to know that we are not the only ones going through the "joys" of raising children.

Thanks for sharing your day!

Bond Girl 007 said...

OHHHHH kristi thank you...I am not the only insainly mum who can't please their kids immediately and has to do things with the sweet??? music of their impatienties...made up that word...i have boys, but let me tell you I think they are all the same in their own way......where is a quiet place to hide? I oftentimes, just can't get away from it, until they are in bed...and then it starts again, promptly the next day! ;

Amanda said...

I had to laugh out loud when Caroline said she didn't like her underwear to touch her bum!! Seriously she and Ian are twins. Ian is super particular and has those days where he just cries at the drop of a hat all.day.long.

My mantra for days like that is "wipe the slate clean". Tomorrow doesn't have to be like today. Or, at least we hope it isn't!

Liz said...

Kristi, can I just say that my Jared would fit in just fine with your girls!! He is the same way about opening doors, buckling the belts, spreading the peanut butter on the sandwich and on and on. I try to be patient, but sometimes I just can't take it! I hope tomorrow is better!! :) By the way, my driveway is one sheet of ice, I was sliding down it in the car today. Scary???!!!

LJ, DC and ML said...

Kristi, I LOVE that you bought Caroline some boxers, that is hilarious and completely awesome. I love those girls and you're a great mom! Way to make it through chicka, you Rock! Miss you guys!

Mrs. McDaniel said...

Girlfriend,

I could have written your very post TODAY!!!! My Caroline is a bear and I get to deal with her ALL.DAY.LONG!!!

Laurie said...

Thanks for this post. I really related to it. Irritability seems to run in our genes, although I'm hopeful that the kids will mature every 6 months or so until finally we outgrow some of our crazies!

Lauralee said...

oh I can sooooo relate.. thanks for sharing.. hope tomorrow they ALL make it to school!

Janae said...

That is one VERY cute backpack...that probably does not ease the pain of the day though, huh?
Thanks for the post, we have all been there...especially us with all the extra pink;)

charlotte said...

This was pretty much hilarious to read :)

Elizabeth said...

I am reading a book called, Raising the Spirited Child. I never really read self help books but that word caught my eye. I like how the author uses that for what others my call a difficult child.
She says often something I have believed since having kids. Those characteristics that drive me a little batty right now are really what makes them so special and will be strengths as they grow older.
I had a day much like this yesterday.

Mary Elizabeth said...

Great post! Glad to know I am not the only one with mornings like this and I only have one!!! Hats off to you girlie!!! Funny things is I always pictured your house to run smoothly and creatively. ;)

Jill said...

I think it's great that you posted all of this so that you'll have it documented and to comfort everyone else who battles with such things.

I don't deal with crying kids very well so I don't know how you handle all the screaming, you must be tougher than you think you are!

That's too funny that Caroline doesn't like underwear touching her bum...that's going to be a lifelong problem eh?

michelle said...

Oh, Kristi. You and I could have a lot of mothering chats! My kids are also very sensitive to sounds, smells, clothing, and get overloaded easily. So many of the things you described happen here on a regular basis as well. I have hard kids as well!

But I do highly recommend the Raising Your Spirited Child book. I read it when Max was little, I read it when Lucas was little, and I'm getting ready to read it again for Eva! It really does help you to see your children in a positive light and to know that the qualities they have that make life difficult now will serve them well as adults -- we just have to make it until then!

Keep calm and carry on.

Natasha said...

Griffin has sensory integration issues as well and after years of therapy (occupational and speech) he has progressed greatly but still has issues with certain textures of foods, with hairbrushing, change in temperature, etc. It used to be extremely bad but is liveable now.

I'm glad you shared this post.

TX Girl said...

Oh thank you. You have made my day. I'm sorry you had such a terrible 29th of January, but I'm glad to know I'm not the only one that deals with.. I don't want to.... At least Teddy can't talk. Although he points and screams pretty regularly.

carlo said...

hugs to you, kristi. i feel like i should document one of these days too just to have it in the future.

on the undies, i am sure you have tried them since there is a store in bethesda but hannah andersson makes the softest undies

Julie said...

I'm sorry that I'm laughing at your day Kristi, but it sounds awful and funny at the same time! Kara used to be VERY picky about her socks and would NEVER wear fleece. Now her socks are mismatched and she loves to wear her fleece jacket. My friends daughter used to only wear boy superhero underwear and had to wear it backwards to she could actually SEE the superheroes when she had to go to the bathroom. Kids drive us nuts...but in the end...we love them to death! Hang in there!

Raskills said...

Oh, man. Totally. I have these days often. :) You rock for posting this.