There are days when I'm grateful for the ways my kids keep me young. Days when they make me go down water slides and order sprinkles on my frozen yogurt. They keep me in touch with my inner dance diva. We just love to "clean" the living room and boogie to ABBA or Sugarland at the same time. We watch vintage movies like The Parent Trap and read all my favorite books from childhood -- from Frog and Toad Together to The Chronicles of Narnia.
Then there are days like today. When having kids has aged me by about 10 years.
No dance diva today. Today I am housemaid, chef to an extremely picky and yet ravenous clientele, and a referee. Mainly a referee. Today I said things like "you'll eat it, and you'll like it" and "If I hear one more whine, I don't care whose fault it is, I don't care who touched/licked/sat on/looked at who, you're both going to your rooms! With the doors closed."
I'm behind on housework, so we stayed home today to clean. Why do I ever think that this is possible? No way I can clean all day while both munchkins are at home. The worst of it is, it's their mess: their clothes that need cleaning, their rooms that need vacuuming, and I won't even talk about what needs to be done to the sinks and toilets and why. I want to be a fun mom, girls, but y'all are beating it out of me!
I can't be a good housewife and a fun mom on the same day. Or at least not for more than 15 minutes at a time. It's 3:30 and I'm looking at dirty lunch dishes piled next to me. There are tents in the front yard (looking forward to the written warning from my association that should be in the mail shortly). To top it off, we had to do the Kiddo-Won't-Nap drive again, but this time I drove to Party City for birthday party supplies so I could at least complete one task for the day. Alas, when I got home, I realized the checker had left at least half of what I purchased on the counter, but since Toddler is now sleeping, we'll have to go back tomorrow! So much for crossing that off the list.
But, in an attempt to cheer myself up before Hubby comes home and stop the tiny sympathetic violins which have started playing for me, (and without the help of a Vodka Cranberry, the ingredients of which are in the house and beginning to beckon), I shall write a list of the good things, the keeping-me-young things, from today:
1. Sophia dressed Livie for me this morning, resulting in a crooked diaper and an outfit so loud Al Yankovic would look twice at it.
2. The girls spent 15 minutes this morning playing hide and seek in the sheets this morning. I had to totally remake the bed, but it was worth it.
3. I made them their first ever aluminum can and string telephone, and got some belly laughs listening to their conversation. (Sophia: "Little A, come in, Little A." Livie: I'm in! I'm in!")
4. Sophia is watching the BBC version of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in the living room, but just ran in here to plant a kiss on my elbow.
Okay, I feel better now. And tomorrow is another day. I'm praying for water slides, sprinkles, and wonder.
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