Tonight 2 of the 3 kids went to bed in tears.
Charlie was in trouble for pulling off too much toilet paper (with a huge grin on his face and AFTER being told not to).
Hazel and Jeff and I had this weird interaction where she wanted to wear her clothes to bed, we told her she couldn't and she WOULD NOT GIVE UP (and neither would we). An hour of negotiations later she cried herself to sleep. One day that determination of hers will surely be an asset.....right now it's just driving us all bonkers.
Sometimes do you get the feeling that you're messing up your kids? I'm feeling that way a lot lately.
Hopefully it's just a stage we're all going through.
On the bright side:
- we had two really quite warm days this week....we even got to go out for a hike. It's amazing what the outdoors does for all of us
- on those warm days Hazel and Charlie spent a long time out in the back yard. Oh, how I love our totally white trash asphalt covered back yard. It keeps those kids happy and entertained for hours. They come in dirty (but the house is still clean) and ready for bed. Did I say how much I love the outdoors
- Hazel is pretty awesome 85% of the time.....she is sweet and funny and starting to laugh at herself. She plays with Emmeline and Charlie, she helps me ALL the time with everything (almost too much sometimes). She is really quite sweet to her friends. She is drinking up math and letters and reading. It's really hard to remember how good she is and how much I adore her when the other 15% of the time she's kind of unbearable.
- Charlie remains one of the funniest kids on earth. I'm not sure he'd be nearly as charming without his totally Boston accent.
- Emmeline and I might be almost over Thrush (I keep thinking that....and then it comes back). But today it's not so bad. And boy is that baby a sweet little thing. I can't get enough of her.
- We had an awesome Saturday morning. Very ordinary. We ate pancakes, cleaned, lazed around in PJ's, Hazel put on some dancing shows for us. As I sat and watched our life play before me I realized that these ordinary Saturday mornings will one day be a distant memory, one that I know I'm going to ache for.
- We have such nice friends all around us...in our ward, in the stake, through Jeff's work, in the neighborhood. Really, one of my biggest blessings in life has been that I've always been surrounded by people who totally uplift and inspire me. I'm especially grateful for all the good parenting examples I have around me.....I have a lot I need to learn.
I appreciate your honesty - even though I am sure you aren't messing up your kids. Your determination and compassion for your family is so apparent. I know how you feel, though. My oldest daughter and I often end up in tears together over something, but she is so forgiving. Being the oldest is a tough job that I don't understand because I didn't have to do it. I forget that sometimes.
ReplyDeleteThe kids will only remember the good stuff. Hazel will laugh when she remembers how she dearly wanted to go to bed in her clothes (a good idea by the way when you have an early trip the next morning)! Glad you're recording those "stimulating" days. They'll be great future entertainment.
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