Saturday, September 27, 2008

It will always be there, they won't

Yesterday's 'to do' list
  1. Wake up early for exercise and quiet time
  2. Finish laundry that has been piling up a little bit
  3. Clean out refrigerator
  4. Wipe down all kitchen appliances
  5. Empty, scrub, and re organize two kitchen cabinets (seriously trying to make my goals small and reachable - two at a time)
  6. Go through tubs full of clothes in basement and kids dressers. Organize, pitch, and sort for appropriate season and sizes
  7. Go over cubbies lessons and verse with K and Jay
  8. Make phone calls
  9. File papers
  10. Deep clean front porch
  11. Dust
  12. Clean little fingerprints off from mirror and windows in living room - Again

Reality of yesterday:

  1. Wake up early to distressed screeches of 3 year old who has decided that it was not a good day and no one should look at/be close to/talk to him
  2. Make breakfast for three little boys who each decide that they would like an alternative to toast and oatmeal. They did not get to choose. More screeches. No ice cream cones. No banana pickle sandwiches (I know, I am just a mean mommy!). No left over birthday cake (Wait, that was what I was telling myself...)
  3. Try to start my to do list - get clean dishes unloaded from the dishwasher
  4. Help K finish his milk as he decides to go on drinking strike number 4,679.
  5. Start to put a few dishes into now empty dishwasher
  6. Hear, "go pah-eee! go pah-eee!" From a 21 month old who has yet to actually use the potty, but thinks it absolutely necessary to sit on it frequently. Wanting to encourage this, I spend the next 10 minutes or so in the bathroom with him as he stood up, sat down, stood up, sat down ("Not aww-done. Aww-done. Not aww-done!") and chatted constantly about the exciting aspects of going potty
  7. Notice the oatmeal caked onto the floor - scrape, scrub, wash
  8. Check email
  9. Answer phone
  10. Notice that it's almost time for the bus to pick K up - mental note to move the van so bus can get through driveway
  11. Notice that Noe had indeed needed to use the potty but had, of course, waited till just after we had gotten all of his clothes back on - begin necessary clean up process.
  12. Hear bus honk. Leave Noe half dressed. Grab van keys. Grab K, backpack, and walker
  13. Come in after moving van and settling K on bus to the lovely sound of full out screaming, pinching, desperate not to share, toddler and preschooler fight
  14. Referee
  15. Realize it is lunch time - do I dare make pb&j again??
  16. Finish filling dishwasher as I spread the peanut butter onto the bread
  17. Notice overflowing trash - take out trash
  18. Finish helping boys with lunch.
  19. Realize my stomach is growling - grab left over Papa John's bread stick
  20. Scrub grape jelly from high chair.
  21. "Mama, book!" - sit down and read "God Made Me" 7 times.
  22. "Mom, we forgot to go outside" (Jay's way of saying, "I WANT TO GO OUTSIDE!") - take boys outside.
  23. Play an exciting game of "pokey jet". Let me just say, if you have NOT played pokey jet you have hardly lived my friends! It involves a scrap piece of siding, two planks of wood, a small rake, a sock, lots of dirt and fallen leaves. Good.times
  24. Push boys in swings while singing at the top of our lungs.
  25. Daddy calls and proposes a zoo trip for when he gets home. Delight in telling the boys who begin to run around in a thrilled daze
  26. Comfort Noe, who suddenly is HEARTBROKEN that K is at school. *sob* "Ba-bye K" *sob* "Ba-bye K-hay-hay!" *sniffle, sniffle, sob*
  27. Go in to answer phone. Come out to boys in sand box playing "wash our hair" - using sand as water and leaves as shampoo
  28. Give boys bath - using real water and real shampoo
  29. FINALLY nap time - for them
  30. Find blankey, baby, and Gi-gi giraffe. Settle boys into their bed
  31. Look at to do list
  32. Turn dishwasher on
  33. Take a shower
  34. Pack bag for zoo trip
  35. Talk on phone
  36. See Dave and K drive into drive way
  37. Wake up boys
  38. Have a great time at the zoo, finally being together as a family after a l-o-n-g week
  39. Come home and roast hot dogs for supper
  40. Cuddle by bon fire
  41. Tuck boys in
  42. Finally have opportunity to relax and talk to Dave, but eyes-will-not-stay-open
  43. To do list laughs at me from it's secure little spot on the desk

Believe me when I say that this was not an exhaustive list. Exhausted mommy, but not exhaustive list. It only scratched the surface friends. There were plenty more details. Some you would thank me for leaving out...

Oh, and the picture at the very beginning of this post - if you look close you will see that Jay is wearing slippers. Some battles are not worth fighting my friends! Not.worth.it. :) But those high water jeans need to be exchanged for the next size up for that growing boy. His mom really should have gone through those tubs of clothing and restocked his dresser.

Well, back to that list...

Just a minute, some one has to go "Pah-ee!"

17 comments:

Jackie said...

Whew! What a day! Looks like you still have the right perspective and your sense of humor though...two very important things. :)

I just love the fact that he wore slippers to the zoo. It's all about picking your battles, huh? :)

Rachel said...

Wendi, you are FABULOUS!!! You are such a great mom and I don't know how you find the energy :) You may not have gotten to the "to do" list, but you definitely did a lot!!!!

SmilingSally said...

sigh

I just tried to comment, and the machine threw me back here!

Again: I did not read your list because just thinking about reading it made me need a nap!

creative gal said...

That is too too cute!! Glad you enjoyed your time together!!

Unknown said...

Great post! You just summed up every mommy's realistic day! That to-do list gets way-layed every time!

Amy Guerino said...

I hope it was helpful writing the list of the realities of your day. You made the right priority choices and did not give into the lie that says, "I have to do it all." I've posted on that just lately. I enjoyed reading your post with all the details and remember the very early and demanding years of my kids (one with special needs as well). :) Your perspective brightened my day.

Lena said...

Whew! I feel you! Being a mom is more than a full time job- You are a great mom!

Our time with our kids is so short... it's so easy to get caught up with other things. I really needed a new perspective today- thanks for sharing!

Tonya said...

Is it bad that I am laughing? I can so relate! The joys of lists never completed.

Anne Elizabeth said...

My day mirrored yours except I had SEVERAL "fits" thrown in there. Some days I don't know how I do it. I wanna scream when Husband comes home and ask me "so what did you get done today?"...

Joy Junktion said...

Well yes! You do live in the real world of motherhood! And you are right lists CAN wait but our children grow too fast to miss the special everyday moments with them.

And ~ slippers to the zoo ~ I'm all in except I think I'D be wearing the slippers after a day like yours!

Have a great rest of your weekend.

Grace Acres said...

hmmmmm, that turtle looks very familiar. We may have visited him last week. I think that all a mother does could be recorded over and over and we would still be amazed. although I am amazed that you could remember all that.

Sarah M. said...

Funny when you look back and take the time to realize where all the flying time went!
Today was a John Deere 90th expo and shopping trip for our future 6 year old. Chaos to be sure! But we did get to ride a tour bus. I forgot my camera.....

jennifer said...

I love this post. So funny!

I especially loved the part about "playing shampoo" with sand.

Lovely.

The Abbott Family said...

I know exactly how you feel. Thanks for sharing. It makes me know that I'm a normal (well whatever normal is) mommy!

Amy said...

It sounds like you had a day. My days normally start with great intentions without much on my list getting done, but some days are going to be like that. When you take the time now with your kids, it becomes something precious something you will look back with joy and remember. (Sometimes I even look back and laugh, even though some of their antics may not have been funny at the time.) May God continue to bless you in your journey. Blessings.

On Purpose said...

This is what living in the moment with our children is all about. From one mommy's heart to another..."you rock as a mom!" This blessed my heart to read, for I found humor, and joy knowing you are in tune with God's will for your life. Among the everyday "lists" of things to do! I could so relate...thank you!

Mrs.Naz@BecomingMe said...

You my friend are a good mommy!