Today started super early with demands for breakfast to feed hungry tummies. After being up with three of the boys in the middle of the night for various reasons I was feeling pretty sluggish. I did not want to wake up. I was not a happy mamma.
The day just kept getting better as I scrambled to pack Camilla's lunch, sign a field trip form, and get her out the door on time. As the littles ate they argued and poked and pushed each other's buttons. I got frustrated, and grumped, and felt very "woe is me" all morning long.
The boys continued to wrestle and argue while I got dressed for the day. I decided the house was clean enough and called everyone up to get their shoes on. We took off for an early morning walk to the park. Joe asked if he could ride his bike and my grumpy self decided it would be too much hassle with the dog and the baby.... He complained the whole way to the corner and sat on the sidewalk refusing to cross with us. I waited on the other side, my patience wearing thin. FINALLY he decided to cross the street (after checking if it was safe of course). As we walked he made sure to stay exactly ten steps behind me muttering, "You're stupid, Mommy..." every few steps. He kept it up all the way to the park and I chose to ignore it even though it hurt each and every time he said it, because he was just mad.
By the time we got home I was really feeling down. I felt like a no body. I got thinking about all of the things that I've put on hold while the littles have over-taken my life. My flute collects dust under my bed, my volley-ball serve could use some practise, I hardly get to touch my piano any more, I don't have time for writing, I struggle to keep up with this blog....What do I have to offer the world?
I called my Mom and she shared some tid-bits about my great-grandmother, the one I'm named after, who raised her kids plus her younger siblings. She never became a writer, or amounted to anything "great" in the worlds eyes, but she was great and worked hard every day of her life. You'd better believe that those kids were all very grateful for her after they'd grown and gone. Mom reminded me what's really important in this life as I cried and felt sorry for myself.
The boys made mud pies at the park today...twice in fact. That's two times they came home extra dirty and slimy. After the second time I decided to let them wash off at the spray park. We loaded up and took Joe to his chiropractor appointment (he's been off lately), then to the post office, and the library. We surprised Camilla after school and picked her up too. With a picnic packed we headed to the spray park for a few hours of fun before I had to start dinner prep.
They played for ten minutes before they were starving, cold, and ready to go. In that ten minutes I layed on the picnic blanket with a curious baby beside me, wishing I had brought my camera. If I had I would have photographed the vibrant blue sky, the leafy branches as they swayed in the wind, and my kids holding hands as they ran through the water park. For just a few minutes, I was in my happy place. I tried to coax them to play for just ten more minutes but one of them continued to fuss and whine. I bit my lip and folded up the picnic blanket as they protested our departure that they had whined for in the first place!
While I stirred the spaghetti sauce Finley chatted my ear off, "Mommy, what's that sound?...Mommy, What's that sound?..." repeated over and over again. I've always thought if you can't say anything nice (or nicely) don't say anything at all. While he kept repeating the same phrase over and over again, I pursed my lips and stirred my sauce.
Meanwhile, Hyrum ran in for a drink as chunks of mud fell from his shoes all the way up the stairs and into the kitchen. He promised to sweep it up when he got home, but I knew that he would forget.
I worked with Camilla on a school project at the kitchen table while finishing up dinner. She is celebrating her "school birthday" tomorrow (since she was born in July) and requested vanilla cupcakes with blue icing "please Mommy".
As I finished dinner and worked with Camilla Ollie was crying in his highchair, only quiet when Camilla would put his bottle in his mouth and help him hold it. And the toddler was still asking questions in the background...
Oh..and did I mention Joe cut Finley's hair. This is the second time in a year. Thankfully it's not too noticeable.
After dinner the three little boys went for a bath. I changed my tenth poopy diaper of the day, washed the spaghetti sauce from their faces, and the mud from Joe's hair. While I jammied the baby Joe and Fin made sure to get the bathroom floor nice and wet because we all know that I needed yet another mess to clean up today.
We all gathered downstairs for scriptures and prayers. After two minutes on the couch I could hardly keep my eyes open. Once prayers were said and hugs were given Joe jumped on my back with a sly grin and Finley threw himself in my arms. I carried both of my monkeys up to bed and snuggled with them until they fell asleep.
As the night comes to a close the dinner dishes are still on my counter. My kitchen smells like fresh baked cupcakes. The clumps of mud on the stairs have turned to dust because no body had time to sweep them up. There's a pile of baking soda by the back door where the puppy peed before bed. And Mr. Stannix might have a bit of a wet shoulder from my recap of the day.
Being a mother is by far the hardest thing I've ever done. Sometimes I feel more like a maid than a mother. But it is also refining, and wonderful. I would not be who I am today without the sacrifice I've made for each of my children and the love and patience that they show me each day.
"God planted within women something divine that expresses itself in quiet strength, in refinement, in peace, in goodness, in virtue, in truth, in love."
-President Gordon B. Hinckley
The day just kept getting better as I scrambled to pack Camilla's lunch, sign a field trip form, and get her out the door on time. As the littles ate they argued and poked and pushed each other's buttons. I got frustrated, and grumped, and felt very "woe is me" all morning long.
The boys continued to wrestle and argue while I got dressed for the day. I decided the house was clean enough and called everyone up to get their shoes on. We took off for an early morning walk to the park. Joe asked if he could ride his bike and my grumpy self decided it would be too much hassle with the dog and the baby.... He complained the whole way to the corner and sat on the sidewalk refusing to cross with us. I waited on the other side, my patience wearing thin. FINALLY he decided to cross the street (after checking if it was safe of course). As we walked he made sure to stay exactly ten steps behind me muttering, "You're stupid, Mommy..." every few steps. He kept it up all the way to the park and I chose to ignore it even though it hurt each and every time he said it, because he was just mad.
By the time we got home I was really feeling down. I felt like a no body. I got thinking about all of the things that I've put on hold while the littles have over-taken my life. My flute collects dust under my bed, my volley-ball serve could use some practise, I hardly get to touch my piano any more, I don't have time for writing, I struggle to keep up with this blog....What do I have to offer the world?
I called my Mom and she shared some tid-bits about my great-grandmother, the one I'm named after, who raised her kids plus her younger siblings. She never became a writer, or amounted to anything "great" in the worlds eyes, but she was great and worked hard every day of her life. You'd better believe that those kids were all very grateful for her after they'd grown and gone. Mom reminded me what's really important in this life as I cried and felt sorry for myself.
The boys made mud pies at the park today...twice in fact. That's two times they came home extra dirty and slimy. After the second time I decided to let them wash off at the spray park. We loaded up and took Joe to his chiropractor appointment (he's been off lately), then to the post office, and the library. We surprised Camilla after school and picked her up too. With a picnic packed we headed to the spray park for a few hours of fun before I had to start dinner prep.
They played for ten minutes before they were starving, cold, and ready to go. In that ten minutes I layed on the picnic blanket with a curious baby beside me, wishing I had brought my camera. If I had I would have photographed the vibrant blue sky, the leafy branches as they swayed in the wind, and my kids holding hands as they ran through the water park. For just a few minutes, I was in my happy place. I tried to coax them to play for just ten more minutes but one of them continued to fuss and whine. I bit my lip and folded up the picnic blanket as they protested our departure that they had whined for in the first place!
While I stirred the spaghetti sauce Finley chatted my ear off, "Mommy, what's that sound?...Mommy, What's that sound?..." repeated over and over again. I've always thought if you can't say anything nice (or nicely) don't say anything at all. While he kept repeating the same phrase over and over again, I pursed my lips and stirred my sauce.
Meanwhile, Hyrum ran in for a drink as chunks of mud fell from his shoes all the way up the stairs and into the kitchen. He promised to sweep it up when he got home, but I knew that he would forget.
I worked with Camilla on a school project at the kitchen table while finishing up dinner. She is celebrating her "school birthday" tomorrow (since she was born in July) and requested vanilla cupcakes with blue icing "please Mommy".
As I finished dinner and worked with Camilla Ollie was crying in his highchair, only quiet when Camilla would put his bottle in his mouth and help him hold it. And the toddler was still asking questions in the background...
Oh..and did I mention Joe cut Finley's hair. This is the second time in a year. Thankfully it's not too noticeable.
After dinner the three little boys went for a bath. I changed my tenth poopy diaper of the day, washed the spaghetti sauce from their faces, and the mud from Joe's hair. While I jammied the baby Joe and Fin made sure to get the bathroom floor nice and wet because we all know that I needed yet another mess to clean up today.
We all gathered downstairs for scriptures and prayers. After two minutes on the couch I could hardly keep my eyes open. Once prayers were said and hugs were given Joe jumped on my back with a sly grin and Finley threw himself in my arms. I carried both of my monkeys up to bed and snuggled with them until they fell asleep.
As the night comes to a close the dinner dishes are still on my counter. My kitchen smells like fresh baked cupcakes. The clumps of mud on the stairs have turned to dust because no body had time to sweep them up. There's a pile of baking soda by the back door where the puppy peed before bed. And Mr. Stannix might have a bit of a wet shoulder from my recap of the day.
Being a mother is by far the hardest thing I've ever done. Sometimes I feel more like a maid than a mother. But it is also refining, and wonderful. I would not be who I am today without the sacrifice I've made for each of my children and the love and patience that they show me each day.
"God planted within women something divine that expresses itself in quiet strength, in refinement, in peace, in goodness, in virtue, in truth, in love."
-President Gordon B. Hinckley
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