A Little Bit of This... A Little Bit of That...

I don't have anything specific to share, just a lot of little things I guess!  It's Thursday so it's my final working day of the week!  I am working a four-day work-week, five hours a day to achieve my 20 hour part-time status!  It's working out fairly well... but like I've said before, it's early and a solid routine isn't exactly established yet.

Who am I kidding... a solid routine will NEVER be established.  I don't do "routine" well.  ;-)

So......... Monday was great!  I wrote about it.  Felt good Monday night. The kids were amazing and welcomed me to part-time with open and well-behaved arms.  Then came Tuesday.  I'm not sure what went wrong.  It was a gorgeous day... so after we arrived home from school and Nana's... I let the kids go right outside to play.  I, myself, scooped poop for over an hour.... OMG - nasty job!!!  But, it had to be done or it would just be brought into my house on the soles of the kids' shoes... so shovel I did.  Ally rode her bike... Luke tried to ride his.  They played on their structure. They ran around. They were happy, happy kids.

I went in to make dinner and they stayed outside happily playing.... Scott got home, we had dinner.... and then, the trouble started.  Ally wanted to go for a walk.... but it was too late for such a thing as she hadn't done her homework right after school. So, she started to pitch a fit. While I attempted to do her "math" homework with her... she had a freakin' meltdown. The girl does NOT take direction or criticism from her parents well.  We CANNOT tell her she is wrong without her FREAKING out. 

I don't know where I went wrong in the evening.  Should I have made her do her homework right away?  Maybe she got tired as the evening wore on and it was too late for her to focus?  She, along with all the other kids around, also appears to be fighting a bug of some sort. Both my kids just have these dark circles under their eyes... fighting off a cold?  Allergies?  I don't know.  Maybe just tired and off from the time change.

Either way... she ran to her room, in full meltdown mode.... and from there, we just put her to bed.  We have established that if she cannot do her homework with us in a way in which we don't all have to fight, then we aren't going to help her do it. She can go to school and explain to her teacher why it wasn't done.  I am not going to take that on myself and feel bad because she didn't do it.  This, of course, sends her into a fit all on its own, because while she doesn't mind fighting with or disappointing us... the thought of disappointing her teacher is just about as bad as it gets. So, it's the only way we can figure to teach her this lesson right now.  I'm not going to fight with her. I'm not going to force her to do her work and do it the "right way."  I'm going to let her learn her lesson her way...

Still, a shitty night all around......... Luke always acts out when she is in "fit mode" cuz he is just uncomfortable himself. So, he decided to have a meltdown that he wanted to see "his Gracie!"  Oh lord......  ;-)

Yesterday was my father-in-law's birthday, and of course, St. Patrick's Day.... so we all went out to celebrate that!  The kids were, well, KIDS!  They can't be excpected to be perfect at a bar/restaurant so Mom and Dad can drink and eat in peace. The evening was fun.... I always enjoy going out... even with the added stress of the kids hanging on me.

Ally also had her annual physical and had to get a booster shot.  Goot times.  I made Scott take her in.  :-)  I waited in the waiting room with Luke... but he had to do the deed of "holding her down" cuz last time when I did it, I was like 8 months pregnant and it was awful.  I just couldn't do it again!  Luke and I waited for her and the whole time, Luke was a little nervous that he was going to have to go in.  He kept asking if Ally was getting a shot and I swear to god, he had a glint in his eye as if to say "haha" when I told him she did, indeed, have to get a shot.  What a little stinker!!! 

We were sitting there yesterday, waiting.  Luke, happily eating a sucker and I was on my iPhone (as I so often am of course!) and the little man just leaned into me out of the blue and said "love you Mommy!"  Oh my lord......  if he had then asked for a pony I would have likely gone out and purchased one!  It was just a sweet moment that I shall put away and take out the next time I want to strangle him for being two.  ;-)

I took the kids to the park after the doctor... I have some pictures I will have to upload and post, but I haven't had the time yet.  Will try to do that soon!  Luke absolutely loved the park and the slide.... and Ally was pretty "mother bear" with him, protecting him from all the riff-raff that can be at Cascades.  It was pretty cute..... and I was proud of her for standing up for him on more than one occassion!

Sweet and sour, that one.....  I love her to pieces, but she can drive me crazy!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ballet night tonight..... hoping this is a little easier on my part-time schedule, but we shall see!