Imperfections of this Mom

Three weeks into summer break.

Sure it's been crazier than a cage full of monkeys who are chalk-full of caffeine, fighting over a bowl full of candy.

But it's also nice having everyone home.

It's been interesting to watch the kids become accustomed to being around each other all the time again. This past week, constant clashing has started to simmer down a bit, the demand for space and not wanting to share anything is starting to fizzle down into enjoyment of each other's company and the willingness to include everyone in everything.

I love watching all my children play together. It makes me feel better about the fact that my kitchen floor is sticky and I didn't make them brush their teeth last night. Eh hem.....

Not that I would ever publicly admit to such a thing mind you.

Wait... ah dang.


This past week has been a bit crazier than normal though. I'm am not one of those moms who puts there kids into everything and load them up with extra curricular activities. I never have been.

But I also want them to experience things and participate in activities they like.

So the boys have t-ball on Mondays and Wednesdays, and the kids come with me to Zumba on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and every Tuesday afternoon we go to the library. This week we had my mom, sister, and her two kids stop by for a day, it was Hubby's birthday, my children also had a four-day art workshop that we tried out this year which they absolutely LOVED, and Hubby left to go out of town early yesterday morning and hopefully if there aren't too many delayed flights, will be home late tonight.

So while it's been busy, it has actually been a really good week.

Until this morning.

Holy grumpy pants Batman, but I swear all five of the kids woke up with scowls and growls. Not ten minutes after they got up, there was fighting, tears, whining, and all out war.

About half an hour after they all go up, my kitchen floor was covered in metal bowls and I had a whole orchestra going on. My ears are still ringing. I put an end to it after Claira took to banging a glass pirex bowl into a plastic one and busted the plastic.

Tears still continued to flow and everyone acted as though they were thoroughly bored.

So I put them to work. As they were cleaning their rooms, the girls got into a fight in which Savannah ended up in big trouble for her actions. Unfortunately, since the morning had been rough, I didn't handle the situation well either. As she sat on the couch where I had put her, she kept saying, "I wish I could run away from here!"

So I let her, hoping a walk would work off some her emotions. Off she went into the freezing wind and started to walk around the neighborhood, I watched her from a distance until she started going too far, then I called her back, and she came.

At first she just avoided me, and I didn't push her into conversation. After a little while it was clear she had calmed down and was soon talking to me. So I hugged her, told her I loved her and that I'm am not a perfect mom and I make mistakes and hope she can forgive me for them. But I love her, and will always love her and that I'm glad she came back.

She just looked into my eyes and said nothing, but finally hugged me back.

And now I hear another fight breaking out with the boys.

And Claira is dumping food all over the floor.

I vote for a day do-over.

Hopefully today will get better and we work things out together. I'm thinking we'll make some cookies before we get back to work.


*sigh* Can I just blame it all on the really lousy weather?


Five hours later...

Since writing the above, Savannah has tripped, earning herself a bloody nose which was then dripped all over the carpet as she made her way upstairs, the clutch went out on the lawn mover while I was mowing so it is now a true "push mower", then the kids ran over a toy with the vacuum cleaner breaking the belt.

The crying and fighting is still going strong.

Heaven help me. I don't know what happened to my wonderful children today, but someone has replaced them with little demons.