Jack’s watching the game, A1’s painting, A2’s talking in her crib and A3’s sleeping on the couch right next to me. I can hear the neighbour’s dog barking; a little one with a loud voice that barks at air, right outside A2’s window. That’s probably why she’s not sleeping.
A1 suddenly asks:
“Mom, are we poor?”
“Can you hear what I’m thinking?”
And while I stare at her with a thousand thoughts in my head, she adds “What are you looking at?”
What? I don’t know what to think. First of all, I never thought I’d have to deal with a pre-teen attitude so early on. Second of all, one question at a time. Well, I shouldn’t talk, if she’s anything like me, there’s no such thing as one at a time. Why do they only pick up our negative traits?
“Don’t run, you’ll fall!” My father use to yell out every time I ran. If you saw the way I run you would be worried too. It’s a kind of running with inappropriate arm gestures and unequal steps. Now, that’s imprinted in my head, and every time I run, I fall. This week as A1 was running, her godfather yelled out “Don’t run you’ll fall!”. I saw her run… like mother like daughter.
I just told A1 that it’s bed time. She yelled out “No!” with a little stomp in her foot. I can’t even get mad at her. I know I should… or shouldn’t I ? I don’t even know… She’s painting, in peace, alone, without A2 pulling on her hair and taking her things. I’ll let her be…
What’s more important, an obedient daughter or an understanding mother?
Poor A3, four months old, has seen more chaos than some people have seen in a lifetime. Last week she got woken up by A2 pulling off her blanket and tickling her feet! “ Giddi, giddi, giddy” she said.
A1 just got up and did a tap dance.
“Shhhh your sisters are sleeping!”
I know with experience that the sound “Shhhhhhhh” is one of the loudest sounds you can make. Especially when you’re aggravated and are trying to express your anger towards the noise but can’t make any noise yourself. It’s happened so many times that the “Shhhh” wakes the baby after the noise has already been made.
A3 just went downstairs. Its way past her bed time and Jack is surprised to see her still up. He’s yelling for me “Julie!”… I can’t yell back! A3’s sleeping right next to me!! I have to get up.
…Ok, I’m back. A1’s in bed.
Earlier, when A2 was still awake, I was rocking A3, she was crying hysterically because she couldn’t sleep in all the noise. I took her away from the family room into the living room. I rocked her to sleep but she was waking up every time the kids would make a sound. So as I was rocking her I stuck my finger in her ear. Her other ear was blocked because she was leaning on me. As soon as she seemed to fall asleep…Along came A2 wobbling on over, with a chocolate chicken in her hand. That chocolate chicken that I gave her and got in trouble for by Jack “Why are you giving her chocolate before bed time ?”
Oh my! I just realized that’s why she’s not sleeping and talking in her crib. It’s not the dog at all!
So, I was rocking A3 with my finger in her ear, when A2 came over with chocolate all over her hands and face. She came closer and closer. All I was thinking was please not the living room couches! I was torn! Should I call out for Jack at the risk of waking A3 up or stay quiet and let A2 ruin the couches?
What’s more important clean couches or a baby’s peaceful sleep?
I whispered “Jack!”, he didn’t hear me… How could he, he’s way over in the kitchen. After a few seconds he came looking for chocolate covered A2 and took her away.
A few minutes later, she escaped from him again. This time I saw her going straight for the stairs. “Jack” I whispered… nothing.
What’s more important a baby’s peaceful sleep or a toddler’s safety?
I called out for Jack and woke A3 up.
Back to square 1.
Btw we use an upside down storage bin as a coffee table and the top of the blender as a pitcher… maybe that’s why she asks if we’re poor…DO YOU BLAME HER?
Home team won tonight. Jack will be in a better mood.
Yey for me !
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