January 6, 2012

Despite their fun-loving reputation...

...Fridays are hard.  I'm usually out of energy, money and dinner ideas.  My New Year's resolution to come home 15 minutes early so that I can use that time to unpack my work things, let the dogs out, switch a load of laundry, decompress and throw dinner in the oven all before picking up the boys worked for exactly one day this week. 

Today was by far the worst homecoming.   Not only wasn't I fifteen minutes early, I managed to be ten minutes late to daycare.  The three of us tumble into our tiny foyer, tripping over each other and sacks of  groceries, backpacks and lunch bags.  Liam screams for a diet Pepsi (don't ask) and Henry wants a new set of Lego instructions all within four feet and four seconds of the door.  Hats, mittens and mail are flung, small dogs stepped on and Liam continues yelling for contraband.  We are now a whopping five feet from the front door. 

"I want a d-d-d, Mickey d-d-d, not TV, a d-d-d!" comes Liam's battle cry as he is temporarily distracted from the carbonated can of artificial flavors and perches precariously on a stool next to the shelf of  dvds. 

"Can you help me find the little yellow Lego?  It's supposed to be here, but it's not."  grumbles Henry standing in the kitchen and wondering why his mom is wearing her coat and a scowl. 

"Get my shoes off,  I want my shoes off! Where's my soda?" screeches his brother.  I glance at the answering machine and see the number 4 flashing wildly.  Three of the messages are from my mother.  

"I want orange juice!"
     "When will we have dinner?"
  "Get my shoes off!"
       "Mommy, where's the black piece?" 

Frozen vegetables sit in the grocery bag and begin to melt on the counter.  A dog wiggles underfoot and yelps for food.    I still have my coat on.  My cell phone rings.

I lock myself in the bathroom.

7 comments:

  1. Oh that sounds like my mornings to day care. I hide in the garage. Sorry you had such a rough Friday.

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  2. Just checking to make sure you made it out of the bathroom :)
    So sorry your new year's is not starting off as planned... but something tells me after the boys went to bed last night, you were able to laugh a little about some of it. well, at least smile. :)

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  3. Oh boy. At least it was friday, right? I didn't even attempt to make dinner last night, nope, took the kiddos and credit card straight from daycare to the Meditterranean place where Fiona ate a decidedly unhealthy dinner of grilled cheese, french fries, and baklava. If I could afford it I think we'd do takeout every night.
    Hope next week is better!

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  4. OHHH Lara! I sure hope your Saturday went better. I honestly do not know how you manage with two. You are amazing!! Sending much love your way!

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  5. Oh I've been there. Not the best time of day. Once someone told me to think about the best part of my day and why it's the best part of my day, and then think of the worst part of my day and make it more like the best part of the day. So I started just leaving all the piles and demands and sitting on the living room floor with my kids when we got home. It helps. It really does. 15 minutes of on-the-floor fun helps everyone reconnect and be on the same page. Then you can work on dinner in relative peace. Sort of. Another thing that helps... invite and friend and their kid(s) over for dinner. The kids play together and you and the other mom can tag team and cook. The kids are so much better if they have someone to play with. All suggestions I'm sure you already know. But I've been there. I know how those days go. Stop buying frozen food so you can take more time with the kids before things have to get put away, and that might help. A little. :)

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  6. Awesome! NOT! I hope you had a little wine stashed in the bathroom for your time locked in there. :) For the record, I do the same thing.

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  7. Oy! You did make it out of the bathroom, right? I hope the rest of your weekend got better :)

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