Where did it all start?
It all started last week when my husband went on a business trip for 6 nights and left me home alone with four kids. Now don't get me wrong, I do this alone every day, he works away most days and I can totally handle it. Well most days! It just turned out to be one of those weeks where I needed my person at night, just to share the stories and have my rant. A hug every night would have been nice too.
On most days I find a silver lining but this past week has been a real struggle to see past anything.
Unplanned Unprepared dentist visit!
I got a call from the school and was informed that my grade 3 (Nika) needed to go see the dentist. (Her filling came out and complained of tooth ache) When they told me I felt like RUNNING. (I've been humming the choris of Sheryl Crow's Run baby, run song all week) Of all my kids, it had to be her! It's never the easy one, is it? She has a phobia for the dentist (or anyone that knows how to handle a needle) and has only spent one appointment before this one in the chair like a big girl (she'll be 9 this year), the other times she had to be "knocked out." See my problem? She handled it like a little pro but I called my mommy to come support me because I had no idea what was to come. On my way to the dentist my stomach was in a knot. She cried and she was very scared but she was such a princess and I was so grateful when we left the dentist without any bleeding fingers.
New Hair Cut!
I was so busy on Thursday afternoon being a "taxi mom" that I never saw my 5yo got hold of the electric shaver. It must have taken me like 2 hours to notice what he had done. He cut his hair on a number 0 right in the middle of his head. He knew exactly what he was doing, I mean come on, he is 5. His biggest dream is to join the American Army one day. He knew! His punishment was to go to tennis like that but after tennis (his sister played not him, so it wasn't even that bad) I had to shave his entire head - he literally has no hair left on his head. Then I had to deal with dad and all the explanations because "where was I at the time?" "How could I not have picked it up?" I instantly aged with this experience and felt like running. (Humming my song)
Is it an infection or what?
I noticed a runny nose last week but left it. Gave like all the normal natural stuff and hoped for the best. Over the weekend one runny nose became 2 and by the end of the weekend there were 3. If you are a mom of Todds you will know a runny nose can very quickly get out of hand and turn green or even worse turn into a cough. I kept Kelvin home on Monday although I had a ton of things to do, just to make sure he was okay. By Monday afternoon I knew I had to get them to a doctor because I also got a call from school regarding Nika. I was thinking to myself "is this an infection or what? Is there any possibility that I can sort this by myself to avoid going to the doctor? Now taking one kid to the doc isn't fun but try 3!
We went to a new doctor and I had to fill out forms for each child, it took me like 25 minutes where in-between, I kid you not all my kids had a "poo" at the doctors office! As I was filling out the information forms I started sweating, not because I was so hot but because I felt like the only mother with crazy out of control kids in the world. Nika was fine, but the boys!!!! They finally had a place where they could get rid of ALL their energy seeing that they never went to school.
Inside the doctors office they touched everything, rode on the bike, weighed themselves like 300 times, jumped off and on the pink bed and went as far as to ask for sweets. I literally couldn't wait to get out of there and when the time came I just wanted to run! (Humming my song) It was such a nice doctor but I'm not sure if I will ever show my face there again. I felt so embarrassed.
I brushed my teeth with 6 year old Barbie toothpaste
I woke one morning last week and couldn't find the toothpaste anywhere, 2 minutes before we had to leave for school I had no choice but to use the kids toothpaste to brush my teeth. I found our empty toothpaste tub outside the main bedroom; empty! Kelvin drew, what he would call beautiful pictures on the paving with it!
Another toothbrush disaster!
On the same morning that the toothpaste went missing, my toothbrush went missing as well. I spent the next 5 days picking and choosing the cleanest and dryest toothbrush out the lot. Reason? Who remembers to buy a new toothbrush? I finally bought myself a new one this moring and feel some what relieved. We are only 6 people in the house but have like 20 toothbrushes lying around, which not one of them were mine! See the frustration?
I lost another tyre.
South Africa and low profile tyres does not go together! Please if I can give any good advice, it will be this. I know it's pretty but they just don't work on our roads. Buy yourself a Toyota! On my way to tennis I lost a tyre and prayed my way there and back home. Now I find myself driving with a "marie biscuit" tyre again, for who knows how long? Problem with these "pretty" tyres, they don't last and they never have stock! (Humming my song!)
Arts and Crafts
I came in from fetching my daughter at school and asked the others where Kelvin was, when they assured me he was playing nicely outside I knew I had to go look. This was the final straw! In my mind I said this: "Lord, please hear me when I say I can't handle anymore!" I nearly had a heart attack. I left Nika and Luke painting but told them to pack everything away when they are done and according to them that's exactly what they did, but I found Kelvin's little 3yo hand all over our outside wall, tiny little feet on the paving, and a complete blue naked baby boy running wild with a paint brush in his hand. He even went as far as to decorating my bedroom and bathroom with blue paint. Due to this insident I forgot to send my daughter the right stuff for Scouts to earn her next badge.
I went into hiding, lying on the guestroom bed and the only thing that came to mind was "failing at motherhood." When I added a # to that I felt more content and started singing my new "theme song."
On a positive note.
I was served with breakfast in bed on Saturday morning. Although it wasn't something I would normally eat for breakfast, or like ever.... I really felt the love. I knew they appreciate me, even though it doesn't always feel like it. The coffee was made with cold water and the biscuits you see down here are salty cracks sprinkled with "hundreds and thousands."
It's a new week! I'm ditching the song today, time to find a new song! All the kids are back at school and I will not allow myself to walk in that shadow for one more day. Time to find the sunshine and move forward! Nothing will steal my joy today, and if I get another surprise or 2, well, I'll just remind myself that I have a new toothbrush!
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