Distracted Mama

This morning I planned to can chicken.

I noticed it was starting to get freezer burned, so I thought putting it in jars would help prolong its usefulness.

After breakfast Gabe and Jasmine helped me clear the table and they also folded some laundry. We got out the baby swing for Ariel to help her be happy and then I thought we would string some toys across the top for her to look at.

I couldn’t find a string, but remembered a toddler shoe with a nice string that I had thrown away the day before because it didn’t have a match.

The trash badly needed emptied anyway, so I started on that, looking for the shoe as I did so. The trash was only half sorted when the phone rang. A puppy customer for the phone job.

I left the trash and went back to the bathroom to answer the phone. Oscar followed me and tried to keep turning on the faucet while I answered questions about golden retriever puppies and their parents registration.

Finally the lady was satisfied and hung up and I could get Oscar out of the bathroom Danger Zone With Way Too Many Things He Shouldn’t Touch.

On my way back out to the kitchen I noticed the sticky table left from the French toast at breakfast. I wiped the table, then moved on to finish the trash.

I found the toddler shoe and after tying up the trash bag, used the string to hang up some toys for Ariel who was getting fussy by this time.

Then Gabe decided to go outside. Of course Jasmine also wanted to, as well as Oscar as soon as he realized what was going on. I was in the middle of helping them get dressed when the phone rang again. Another puppy customer, this one with a very bad accent. It got increasingly hard to understand him, especially as the grumpy noises outside the bathroom grew in volume.

I finished the call and came out to find everyone in varying stages of being dressed to go outside. Oscar had stolen Jasmine’s scarf and scuffling had ensued.

Ariel was crying by this time, tired, but I doggedly finished getting everyone bundled up and out the door. I picked up Ariel and began rocking her to sleep mentally counting the seconds since I had put Oscar outside. …7, 8, 9

Sure enough, loud crying came from outside the door. He wanted in already. Two minutes later the other two came back in as well, snow clinging, noses running. “Is it even worth it?” I asked myself as I helped everyone unbundle from coats and gloves and snow pants.

Ariel was crying again.

I picked her up and sat on the couch to rock her to sleep, frustrated with the morning and mentally checking down my list of Things That Have Not Gotten Done.

It is almost ten AM. The chicken is not canned, or the breakfast dishes even started. But I did do a lot this morning, even if none of it is what I had planned to do.

And now the baby is asleep. That’s something at least. Now to see about that chicken…