One of those days (sigh)

Please tell me that I am not alone when I say ..."I am looking forward to bed and the day being over".  I wasn't the best parent today.  Today was hard. If I was completely honest I could of done with another glass of wine but no, I stared longingly at the unopened bottle instead - knowing full well that I would have to do extra push ups and crunches as punishment.

Seriously I don't know what happened today.
I mean really...

Who thinks that its OK to climb on top of the clothes horse (fully loaded) and that it wouldn't break under the strain of a 4 year olds weight.  I am down to one horse now (clothes not actual) and one horse isn't going to cut it especially when you don't have a dryer.  Its precociously balancing on the fire guard and the back of a chair at present and I am in serious denial that its no longer functional.

Who really thinks its OK to bring ones bike inside and ride it. Yes I know we have a big old farm house but we want to pretend that we have some etiquette, decorum and are semi-civilised.

Who really thinks its OK to threaten to throw wooden trains, monopoly pieces, pumpkins and snot-filled tissues at each other? Again see above for why not.

How many times do we have to be told to close the front/back door? 10, 20, 30....100 times. Seriously its not that hard.

We don't need to fight and argue ALL day, do we?  I say this because I KNOW at the end of the day, come bed time you will have ALL joined forces and united against us, 6 against 2 and staged a full on mutiny about going to bed. Why bother? Do yourselves and me a favour, remember that you do love each other and unite earlier on in the day.

Why does everything have to start hurting/itching/bleeding at bed time. Why do you suddenly become cold/hot/unwell at bedtime? Why do you need another drink, banana, cuddle, plaster and/or teddy at bedtime?  Why oh why do I have to kiss, hug and say prayers for Teddy's/dollies and weird looking plastic horses at bedtime? BEDTIME is just that, BEDTIME!!!

Why do you need to poo all up your back and all over your clothes just after I have dressed you?  I am sure I have told you that its near impossible to get a squishy poo-soaked singlet up and over your head without dying your hair, ears and neck poo-yellow.

Why do socks always disappear? Why wear gumboots through the front door and walk through the house only to walk out the backdoor? 

Empty toilet rolls actually go into the rubbish bin - not on the floor.

Why can't you do your own Maths and not your sisters? Why do you have to drop you pencil 222 times?  Find your own rubber, share your rubber, split your rubber in two BUT PLEASE STOP FIGHTING OVER THE DAMN RUBBER!

Why play inside when its sunny and outside when its raining? Why wear shorts in winter and then cry because you are cold? Why oh why wear shorts and a t-shirt and then take your blanket and pillow outside to lie under to keep warm?

Why do you have to shove the entire knife into the full jar of jam and then spread over bread, bench and floor?

Why are you sweeping the dirt with my broom? Why are you cleaning a pumpkin in the bathroom?

Why are you wearing your togs? Why are you running a bath now? No you do not need to practice using your flutter board!

Please give me the scissor. Please turn the TV off. Please get down. Please get off your sisters head.  Please don't wear just stockings to collect the eggs/mail.  No we can't go to the pet shop and buy a pet.

 No you can't play egg shops with real eggs. Why? Because you might break them and I need them for baking.  No you can't sell them at the gate. Why Not? Because we brought them from the supermarket. I know no one will know that, but I will.  Yes I know you can keep a secret!

Yes I know I borrowed five dollars off you. Yes I will pay you back. Yes with paper money even! Yes and soon.  I won't forget. I am sure you won't let me.

*sigh*

Two rows of chocolate later and I am off to bed.  I will live another day, to tell another story. Tomorrow will be....tomorrow.  Some days like this just happen. You either laugh or cry - probably both! I know I am not a bad parent but actually I am a pretty darn good one. But days like that do creep up on the best of us. One day my linen cupboard will be tidy and my towels will all be matching. One day my windows will be clean and I won't have to vacuum daily...but that means one day my house will be empty.  For me...the thought of that is very very sad!



Photo taken December 2012

Every cliché about kids is true; they grow up so quickly, you blink and they're gone, and you have to spend the time with them now. But that's a joy. - Liam Neeson