Just Done!

      

You know that emoji with the big eyes and the little sliver of the mouth? Yeah, that has pretty much been the expression frozen on my face the last two days. Little girl was scheduled for shots yesterday afternoon. It was going to be the first appointment Superman had to miss and I knew I was going to hack it alone. I tried to schedule for Monday so he could make it, but when the clinic wants you to start using their app or sign up online--there you go. I have done it twice and both times did not get the day I wanted. So guess what peeps, I am going to be calling you from now on! Anyways, of course nothing could go smoothly. Instead brother decided to have a 2 a.m. accident in his bed and sister woke up when he started hollering. TWO A.M.! I was not thrilled. Then the day just went downhill from there.

I had to strip down a bed, wipe a mattress, flip it and put on new bedding. Then I had to strip down a toddler, explain why he couldn't wear his Captain America jammies anymore, deal with the melt down, get his limp and uncooperative body re-dressed for bed and tuck him back in. Then I had to nurse and change and nurse a distraught baby sister who had been crying it out for about 20 minutes. All the while I was trying my best to keep calm and keep things quiet for my husband who had to be at work in just two hours. Funny thing--I was so tired everything was just automatic, like some domesticated robot took over on mom duty. I didn't yell or weep or buckle. I just did my thing, hummed and grumbled, and crawled back into bed once it was all over.

Then everyone woke up before their usual times--even after their early morning antics. All except me, but alas, duty called. I had a load of work to get done and a pile of dishes, but neither one of my children could give me a moments peace. So instead of cracking down on writing I held my daughter and talked my son down from several tantrums. "No, you cannot have cookies for breakfast. It will give you a tummy ache to have too many treats. If you eat your cereal and toast we will talk about those cookies." That or, "No, your Baymax shirt is dirty. It needs to go through the wash and then you can wear it. Don't you see the crusties around the collar. All you have to do is wait until I can wash it. It is NOT a big deal." We had both those discussions several times along with why we were not turning on the television, why he couldn't climb on the couch, and why Heatwave was stuck in time out (because K.B. peeped the bed). I was going to lose it and it was only 10 a.m.

Fortunately the nap gods showed up around that time and little sister settled in for a couple of hours. I also plopped K.B. in the tub where he played contentedly for about an hour and a half while I whipped out a few freelance articles and reviewed work from another writer. I did have to go up once or twice to haul him out of the tub and use the toilet, but I was grateful he at least knew peeing in the water wasn't an option. That brief stretch of productivity allowed me quiet time to get myself together so that by the time sister was up and K.B. was a complete raisin I was ready for them again.

"No you can't have cookies for lunch. Your Baymax shirt is in the dryer, so you still have to wait. If you pick up all your other toys you can earn Heatwave back." Then K.B. suddenly gave me the key. All he needed was a plan--a couple of things to look forward to so he could stop pestering me and just play by himself. Here is what we came up with. "First we will get ready for errands and go to Walmart. There we will buy the Baymax movie. Next you will go to LaLa's house and watch Baymax while mommy takes sister to the doctor. Then when we get home you can put on your Baymax shirt." Somehow that little plan was all he needed and I was free to get sister ready, pack the diaper bag, do a load of dishes and head out the door.

We followed the plan and I was in the car on my way to the clinic. On the way to LaLa's sister was pitching a royal fit, but she fell asleep on the drive so I checked in and was lead back to the room without incident. Then I had to wake her up, but she was happy enough. All until the doctor took her from me to examine her. She was not pleased, not pleased at all. Luckily he had already listened to her heart while I was holding her--because he wouldn't have been able to hear a thing through that stethoscope once she started screaming at him. When he was finished he handed her back to be and she calmed down. He talked about how perfect she was and darted out, leaving the worst part for the nurses, at least so he thought. Evie is a curious baby girl. Yes, she cried when the nurses stuck her, but I was there holding her hands and wiping her tears and swooping her up as soon as it was over. She settled right down. So in fact, she cried longer and harder during the exam than she did for the shots. Sorry Doc, but it doesn't look like this little girl is going to like you very much.

I put her clothes back on and nursed her a little before heading back to pick up K.B. She slept all the way there and he had a great time with LaLa and Brant, though they couldn't get the movie to work (BluRay v.s. DVD and all that nonsense). Then miracle of all miracles, on the drive home K.B. just nodded right off. Both my children were out cold and I was so thrilled. At the house I pulled him out of the car and put him on the couch. He didn't budge. Then I went back out for Evie and she was starting to stir so I just took her straight upstairs to my room so we could cuddle and play nicely. Brother woke up crying after about an hour, totally normal, and came to find us. I hauled him up on the bed and plopped him into a pile of laundry. The he just nodded right off again, splayed out next to us. There we were, the three of us and the thought finally came: we made it! The day was almost over and I was cuddling my kids. The moment was short lived because there was a hungry baby on my lap, dinner to be made and housework to be done.

Then this morning at 6 a.m. we started the cycle all over again. Bedwetter, screaming baby, exhausted robotic mama. But guess what, I am fine with it. We will all find solace in the agenda of the day, which is as follows:
Cuddles and a little more sleep.
Breakfast, but no cookies for breakfast.
Clean up all our toys to get Heatwave from time out.
Dress for the day in a clean Baymax shirt.
Get some work done while Nanny plays with K.B. and Evie naps.
Lunch, and only three cookies.
Errands to re-stock the pull ups until K.B. adjusts to this new phase.
Back home for cuddles and movie and a nap for all.
Clean up, dinner prep, clean up.
Papa comes home.
Eat.
Sleep.
Repeat.