Utter Chaos

The last few weeks have been nothing but challenging for me.  My two sons are testing me to my limits.  If one decides to be agreeable and pleasant the other will certainly become ornery and defiant.  Please tell me I am not the only one who seems to have utter chaos rule the roost every morning!  I mean you would think we never experienced a morning together in our house before.  Monday mornings when we have to get up, get breakfast and out the door are actually the easiest day of the week.  Maybe it is because I know I am getting a few hours break when I head to work.  But the other mornings of the week seem to be utter chaos.  I have tried to set routines for the morning activities but it seems to be to no prevail.  Undoubtedly one of the two will wake up cranky and not quite ready to face the day.  The other will decide it is necessary to pick on the cranky one.  Most often what we are having for breakfast is not of their liking and gets flung across the kitchen.  Even when I agree to their favorite of scrambled eggs it is a bit of a disaster with both of them trying to stand on one chair to "help" and my 3 year-old son trying to crack the eggs.  My 20 month-old son has a melt down almost daily over the fact that he can have only one vitamin!  Then their is the scuffle over toys and screaming that follows.  It is not unusual for their to have been multiple time-outs before 9am.  And we always have the issue over one bathroom and 4 people.

I am an organizer and a planner and for my mornings to be so far out of my control and seemingly very unproductive is beyond frustrating.  I sometimes look at my children and their behaviour and wonder where I have gone terribly wrong.  For they act as though they were raised in the wild by a pack of orangutans. Then my loving husband reminds me that they are little boys who are 3 and 1 years-old.  Yes, they are toddlers who will some day grow up and I will be one of those weepy moms saying it was just yesterday they were babies and who has amnesia and remembers only the great moments.  And this is a good moment for they are sitting nicely on the porch stuffing their little mouths full of animal crackers and looking pretty stinkin' cute!

I asked my dear hubby if it is normal for me to feel like I am going to lose my mind almost every day.  His reply was "I know I would if I were home with the kids every day".  Haha, if you know my husband you understand he loves his family but most definitely lacks empathy!  But I know these days will too soon pass and I have near panic attacks thinking of sending them off to school.  My husband also says regularly and I agree with him that parenting is the hardest thing he has ever done.  It most assuredly takes sacrifice and perseverance.

The earlier moment of cuteness has passed and it is now 8pm and the one who refused dinner at mealtime is now sitting up and finally eating his dinner.  And the other who pooped in the tub just a few minutes ago is sleepily watching Thomas.  And I persevere on for one day all the things I have been trying to teach will finally sink in and I will be rewarded.  And as far as sacrifice their is no greater gift I can give to my children than the daily sacrifice of parenting them!

It's a Boys' World

"Insanity" it's the name of the workout DVD set my husband has decided he must tackle.  It is a very strenuous workout that is supposed to make you very fit and muscular.  My husband is very fit already but being the overachiever he is he always thinks there is room for improvement.  As I watched him finish the workout this morning with sweat pouring down his face he commented that this is indeed insanity.  And I said I have my own insanity workout every day and it's called my two toddler boys.  No need for a gym membership for me these days.  My workout is 14 hours straight and if I'm lucky I may have a short break in the afternoon.

My world has become all things boy.  I knew nothing about boys until I had my sons and I am still learning.  I had no idea sticks and rocks were so incredibly fun to play with.  And sit and play in the baby pool, I don't think so, much more fun to dump it and create a mud puddle to play in.  Any noise coming out of either end is extremely funny.  Chasing each other and running laps through the house is the most fun indoor activity.  A 3 year-old boy can talk for 3 days straight about a tree that he saw that fell down.  An 18 month old will consistently poke his pet bunny in the eyes every chance he gets.  Pictures of monsters are drawn on birthday cards.  Playing in the toilet is intriguing.  And the preferred attire is complete nakedness.  Sigh...it's a boys' world. 

Now I agree, that just because they are boys is no excuse for bad behavior.  But I do believe there is a level of physicality early on that is just different with boys.  Like my one friend said of her 2 year-old son, it is like trying to rope a calf just to get a diaper changed.  I have learned to carry my 18 month-old son when he is kicking his legs and throwing a tantrum with his belly on my hip, arms pinned and legs flailing out the back.  You have to learn how to handle little boys and their strength or they quickly over-power you.  

Sunday mornings I look at the little girls at church in their pretty dresses, bows in their hair, fingernails painted and cute sandals on their feet.  Then I look over at my sons who are either shoving donuts in their mouths or trying to run away from me.  And I think, thank you God for the blessings of my sons and thank you for the many things they are teaching me!