Just another Manic Monday!!

What a day I had Monday!! I know someday I will look back on these days and laugh, so I needed to write down the details as to not forget a moment! Maybe it will give some of you a laugh and probably a smile of understanding! I wish I was a better writer, but I'm sure you will get the idea. I was thinking how Ellen DeGeneres could probably tell the story of this day in a way that would have people rolling, but you will have to hear it from me!

So, most days, my good friend Nikko picks Braden and her son Gavin up from morning Kindergarten. Kind of in exchange, Gavin stays here and plays during the afternoon with Braden.

This morning, she texted me and asked if I wouldn't mind picking up the boys as she had an important phone call to make from 10:30 to 11:30. She said she would come by after her phone call. School normally gets out at 11:35 so I just figured she didn't want to have to rush it just incase her phone call went long.

I felt pretty good this morning and was ready to conquer the day. I had even sat down and made a pretty good list of important things I needed to do. Being honest with myself, I was hoping to accomplish at least 75% of my list. Knowing things come up with the kids, I have two new puppies, and I never know when my 35 week along pregnant body would tell me I had done enough for the day.

My list consisted of the following:

*Pay mortgage bill

*Catch up on all laundry

*Clean kitchen

*Clean off dining room table

*Clean garbage out of the garage

*Get canned goods and water out so Steve can carry them upstairs when he gets home

*Finish cleaning up sunroom so the dogs can live there temporarily (Use electric blower to get all the dirt and crud out before I try to mop)

*Put DI items from sunroom into trunk of car.

*Get garbage items ready to take to the dump.

*Clean toilets

*Clean up after dogs downstairs

*Sterilize kitchen and livingroom floors

*Contact DishNetwork -trade old receiver for an HD one, possibly upgrade one step up

*Gather new baby items into Asher's closet

*Clean bedrooms

*clean off laundry room shelves

Pretty good size list, but I was feeling good.

After I got the boys off to school and Asher taken care of, I got the mortgage bill paid and went over a couple other bills. I cleaned the floors and picked up breakfast. Let the puppies in and followed them around cleaning up after their pee (feeling very grateful I no longer have carpet in my front room).

By 10:30, I had put the puppies back in the sunroom and was upstairs busy putting on my makeup, fixing my hair, and doing laundry. Putting on my makeup with Asher around is always an adventure. I have always liked to do it sitting down in front of a mirror. That way I can get really close to the mirror while doing my eye make up because I am pretty blind without my glasses. It just seems I can pay more attention to detail that way. Anyhow, Asher thinks he needs to sit on my lap while I do it. And when I say sit on my lap, I mean bounce up and down, play with my makeup, try to open all the containers, grunt and scream when he can't, draw on the mirror with my lip liner, suck on my brushes, stick his fingers in my concealer, spill my powders, try to eat my brow liners, put lip gloss all over his head, and basically make it impossible for me to do my makeup!

The mirror I use is in my closet so sometimes he doesn't see me go in there, but as soon as he figures out where I am he comes barrelling in and pushes his way to the front as if he absolutely belongs there. It reminds me of the song "Play Something Country" by Brooks and Dunn: "Well [he] blew through the door like TNT"

So I get my make up done, all but my mascara because that is pretty dangerous with a bouncing baby on my lap! (As I have learned from experience)

Back to doing laundry while I watched the clock for 11:30 when I needed to leave to pick up Braden and Gavin.

At 11:25 I came downstairs and noticed 3 missed phone calls. The times were 11:02, 11:07, and 11:13 all from the school. I panicked at first wondering if someone was hurt or sick. There was one message that was left from the first phone call: “Hi Tori, this is (name omitted to protect the offender) over at the school. Just letting you know school was out almost 20 minutes ago and Braden is still here in the office. If you want to give us a call, that would be great. 785-8723. Thanks, bye”

Message was fairly friendly but I felt a sense of panic to go get them. I grabbed the baby half dressed and rushed down there barefoot.

Me: “So sorry, I forgot it was short day”

Her: Raised her eyebrows and shrugged her shoulders. “Do you have another number that I would be able to reach you at?”

Me “No, I don’t. I’m so sorry, I rarely pick them up so I just got confused with short day.” Me To the boys: “Come on guys”

Her: “You can leave Gavin. His mom is on her way down to pick him up right now. I just talked to her. She was surprised at my call and said you were supposed to pick them both up”

Me: “Yeah, I just forgot about short day. I’ll just meet her in the parking lot with him. Again, I am so sorry.”

Her: Raised her eyebrows and shrugged her shoulders.

I got in the car with the boys and felt pretty stunned at the coldness of the conversation. I guess I kind of expected something like, "don't worry about it" or "It happens all the time" or "no big deal" instead of raised eyebrows, a judgmental look, and shrugged shoulders.

Me to the kids: Sorry guys, was blankety-blank pretty mad at mom for being late?

Braden: no she was mad at me.

What? Mad at Braden? I had to reassure him that she was not mad at him and that he had done nothing wrong.

I texted Nikko and apologize for forgetting because I know her phone was ringing from the school too while she was trying to conduct business on an important phone call.

By the time I got home I was in tears. Pregnancy hormones? probably. But I don't like rude people.

I chat the following to my hubby over gmail:

After a short explanation I said "I am in tears now. Not sure if it is hormones or I'm just mad at myself for screwing up, or if it's the realization that I am overwhelmed when I was trying to keep it all together. Not sure, but I am pretty upset. So dumb to be upset over something so miniscule

29 minutes later (because he was at lunch) I received this

12:09 PM

Steve: Sounds like she was having a bad day. Maybe take here some cookies next time you go down there or something to establish a positive association. If you are just worried about her being upset - then its probably not that big of a deal.

me: You're right. I should give her a break. I am still in tears over it because of her reaction. Sorry to bug you at work about it

The conversation continued for a while and I was back and forth typing and taking care of everyone here, because heaven knows, no mom has 1/2 hour to sit down and chat with her husband during the day without other pressing matters to attend to.

I fed the boys lunch

cleaned up constantly after the puppies who pee every 5 minutes

and continued to cry because I am hormonal.

Soon I hear baby crying and look over to see two crazy excited puppies on top of a mad 20 month old who is not able to get up. I save the baby only to notice a good size scratch on the right side of his face. "Oh crap" I think, "Dad is going to be ticked about this one!" Baby continues to cry and cannot be calmed as it finally dawns on me that it is past nap time.

One sippy cup of milk later, I was lugging my pregnant body and a toddler up the stairs to put him down for a nap. Wheew! One down!

I sent Braden and Gavin into the playroom making them promise they wouldn't come out because they are loud and way too silly for my nerves right now. Nice, I am now punishing them because I still haven't pulled myself together. But I guess there are worse things for two little boys than being stuck in a room full of legos!

While cleaning up lunch, I realize I need to be the better person and apologize.

I called Nikko and ask her if when she comes back to pick up Gavin, she would stay at my house for about 5 minutes while I run back to the school because the baby is still sleeping. No problem she says.

I get the candy bar I have been hiding from the kids in the cupboard awaiting "that kind of day" when I might need it, and a cute card and write out an apology for my forgetfulness with the hopes of receiving forgiveness and understanding. I didn't realize it was already 1:30 and school would be let out in 15 minutes.

Nikko shows up at the same time Logan walks in the door and I realize that I could have just left sleeping Asher with Logan for 5 minutes while I ran to the school. I apologize to Nikko for making her come over and unload her baby with intentions of having to stay for a while. Being the sweetheart she is, she tells me no big deal and to take my time.

At that moment, her two kids and one of their friends arrives to meet their mom here

Nikko's phone rings with an important call so she has to put her baby down and take the call in the bathroom

baby didn't want to be put down.

Logan wants to see his puppies, which I put in the sunroom because I have cleaned up enough pee for the day.

I told everyone if they wanted to see the puppies, they would need to play with them out there.

Nikko's daughter and her friend want to see the puppies too.

Two seconds later, there is a knock on the door comes with 3 neighbor kids wanting to play with Logan and the puppies.

holy crap, instant chaos!

Nikko comes out of the bathroom with awesome news about her home loan! So exciting!

Puppies being chased by children run through the living room, "Don't let them on the carpet!" I scream.

A huge ball is being bounced in the living room so hard it hits the ceiling

a foam arrow being shot from a bow flies by

my phone beeps with a new text, the girl next door who is coming over to help me fold laundry wants to bring her friend too.

"Why not?" I thought.

Everyone is hungry.

Do I have something to feed them?

3/4 a loaf of bread, peanut butter and jelly should solve that problem.

At this point I realize everyone needs to go outside! I try to corral them with some resistance.

I need to get down to the school before it's closed up for the day.

I continue to work on getting the kids out the back door and leave Nikko to make some sandwiches.

This all happened in about 10 minutes!!

I pull out of the garage somewhat hesitant to leave my home in the condition it was in and laugh thinking what would happen if Steve suddenly showed up while I was gone. I could just see his face!

I make it to the school and realize I am still barefoot. I run in with an apology note and treat in hand. I happened to meet the principal at the door and just mentioned I had forgotten about short day and had something for (again, trying to protect the innocent?) as an apology. He was very friendly and said "don't worry about it, it happens all the time."

As I handed over my FAVORITE candy bar that I really could have used at this point, I said, “This is for you”. I got a half smile, a nod, and an “ok”.

Principal commented on my bare feet and that they must be cold. I made some stupid comment about it going along with being pregnant. I actually said, "yeah, barefoot and pregnant" how white trash was that?

I left feeling better, regardless of the reaction to my efforts.

I arrived home to find things fairly calm.

Sandwiches were made and the kids were outside playing.

I really felt better. What made me feel even more better, was that the kids needed to take off to piano lessons so I knew I could send the chaos away (at least for a little while).

And as fast as it came, it was gone.

My house was quiet.

That lasted 2 minutes before I heard Asher crying in his bed. I took a deep breath.

The neighbor girls came over and helped me fold laundry. It was so nice to get done in 45 min what normally would have taken me a day and a half!

I then sat down to relax for the 15 minutes I had left before the evening chaos began.

As soon as Steve walked in the door, the boys all decided they were starving and couldn't wait 2 more seconds for something to eat. They take after me and basically fall apart when they are hungry.

Asher was throwing a tantrum for whatever reason an almost 2 year has for doing so. When he does that, he hangs on my legs and throws his head back, keeping me from moving anywhere until I pick him up where he continues to throw his head back and it's all I can do to keep from dropping him.

I was ready to pull out my hair and the night basically continued in the same fashion as the rest of the day (topped off with loaded toothbrushes flying through the air) until I crashed into bed just seconds after I got the boys down.

Now if only I had an almond Snickers to make it all go away!