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!