The Day After

On Sunday we were a well put together family. We visited a new church and everyone looked nice all dressed up. The children sat well and I only had to take Jasmine out once for a reminder to sit still and quiet.

We talked with people afterward about how busy we had been lately (why does everyone love to talk about that?!) and then went to a friends house for lunch.

Gabe and Jasmine finished their food and asked to be excused and took their plates over to the sink to be washed. Oscar played happily and did adorable things. “Yes,” I thought with a happy sigh on the way home. “We’re at a good place, our family. I think adding a baby will be pretty easy.”

Monday morning Oscar woke up crying when we got up at six. He did not go back to sleep but instead woke the other two who alternately fussed and talked and begged to go potty until we gave up our interrupted devotions and just got everybody up a little before their normal arising time of seven.

After breakfast Gabe and Jasmine fought over every single toy they saw, so I suggested they get out the play doh and make shapes at the table. That worked for the older two, but Oscar can’t get up on the chairs so he cried.

I put Oscar on the living room rug with beads to put in containers and finally got breakfast put away. I started on the dishes, but when Oscar saw Jasmine helping me rinse (Jasmine helps at breakfast, Gabe at lunch, and Oscar at supper) he wanted up on the chair to help too. When I told him no he tipped back his head and howled – and began choking on the beads he had put in his mouth. After a few frantic seconds while I flipped him over my arm and hit his back he coughed up the beads and could breathe again.

All morning I was not sane, patient, caring Mother, I was the hand out snacks so I can get stuff done and please stop fighting about who has the blue bowl and each of you get a book and sit on the couch and don’t talk to me for five minutes type of mom.

Once Oscar was taking a nap I thought I’d make up for the rough morning by letting Gabe and Jasmine help me make cookies. They love to help, especially when there are cookie dough balls to roll in cinnamon sugar, and they are usually a big help but this morning, true to form, the cinnamon sugar kept spilling and crunched underfoot and then Oscar woke up and wanted to help.

Since I knew my thin patience could not handle three littles on the counter making a mess and trying to fall off and hurt themselves, I distracted Oscar with bits of cookie dough to eat, except he kept coming back for more until he had consumed a rather large amount of sugar.

Andy brought the neighbor home to lunch when I wasn’t expecting it and we were having salmon chowder AGAIN which is exactly what we had last Thursday when he was here. But I kept my thoughts to myself about how he probably thought all we ever ate was salmon chowder, and thankfully there was enough food so that was that.

Nap time was wonderful – but short. Jasmine woke up after 45 minutes which also woke Gabe which also woke Grumpy Mama. Jasmine wouldn’t stop fussing and I didn’t know whether to discipline or cuddle her.

At 4:30 Andy came home and took Gabe and Jasmine along to help him drag a log out of the woods. Since Oscar was still asleep I collapsed on the couch and wondered what on earth had gone wrong the entire day.

Today we were not ready for a new baby; I could hardly even take care of the children we have! But thankfully tomorrow is a new day and will be different than today. It always is. Some days are average, some good and some horrible without seeming to have many defining qualities to help me know how to make each day one where things go smoothly. But life will continue on with the ups and downs at least until the children are all grown and gone. And then Andy and I will sit in our quiet clean house and wish for the good old days.