8: Daylight Saving Time

Did you survive pushing the clocks forward?

You wouldn't think that one measly hour would make all that big a difference in a life. One hour on one day. But let me start at the beginning...

The boys went to bed on Saturday night at their regular time, 7 PM. I was tired so I went to bed an hour earlier then usual. Then the boys slept a little late on Sunday. So with going to bed early and them sleeping in, I got some real.good.sleep. This time change thing is a piece of cake! I thought we lost an hour? How did I gain sleep??

Sleeping in was a mistake. Our whole day shifted...everything was late and then the sun was streaming in the windows when it was time to make dinner so I didn't even feel hungry never mind in the mood to prepare food. We eat in the dark, dang it!

Sunday night bedtime was a little rough. I was on high-anxiety because my 4-year-old had to get up for school the next day. Understandably, it just didn't feel like bedtime -- just like it didn't feel like breakfast time or nap time or dinner time -- so it took the boys longer to fall asleep. But we did it! We all fell asleep! And, seriously, with a toddler, that can be the accomplishment.

But here is where it really fell apart. My 6:40 AM alarm is set on my phone. My phone showed the correct, new time. BUT apparently there is a SECOND clock on the phone that runs the alarm. AND THAT CLOCK DIDN'T CHANGE. Wait, what? How can that be? So at 7:20 AM I woke up on my own, leaped out of bed, changed my clothes in an instant, and went into the boys room. Have you ever woken up a sound-asleep 4 year old? They don't care for it. I got him to semi-consciousness and then had to lift him up out of the bed and carry him into the kitchen to be dressed-while-crying and force-fed breakfast. Good morning sunshine! Happy Monday to yoooou!

He made it onto the bus, which was early just to annoy us further.

And if anyone knows how to change the alarm-clock-clock on my LG phone, please share.

7: Gratitude

 Up until now this blog has been a bit negative. I don't want it to be that way but I'm using this forum to get from feeling complete yuck to feeling joy again.

So ya'll have to suffer a bit with me and then, hopefully, at the end or maybe the middle we'll get to enjoy the mental-state equivalent of an ice cream sundae.

There is one life story that I have running in my head and it's the tragedy...the messed up relationships I had before I was married, the messy relationship I have with my husband, how hard motherhood is, how loosing a job and a house sucks, how moving back home has felt like being dragged back by the undertow of my history. (Moving back home is just bizarre. I'm sure there's a future blog post there.)

But I also have another story. This one starts with being born into a really wonderful family. My parents and my brother (my only sibling) are supportive, encouraging and funny. I can't say I never wanted for anything but I certainly never needed anything. I got a decent education (could have been better if I had only applied myself...or so I was told time and time again). I've always had friends (not a ton but always enough). I have been a good employee and a great friend...at times. I fulfilled a life dream and traveled to Ireland and France. And my greatest achievement by far are birthing two beautiful, healthy little boys. And that's just the highlight reel.

I think I need to replay the good skits more often and edit out out the blooper reel.

Do you have negative thoughts on your mind often? How do you tell them to shut it?

6: Survival

One of my two boys wakes up in the middle of the night just about every night. It's either a lost "ba" (pacifier), a misplaced favorite stuffed animal, blankets askew or just a desire to start the new day at 4 AM (ya, um, no.) Once 6:30 AM hits though I have to actually arise with one or both of them. And it all starts at once: milk cups poured, wet diaper changed, breakfast served, THAT'S MIIINNNEEE!, an attempt at making coffee, etc. All this with my eyes half closed, the sun barely up in the sky.

This continues through the long, long day.

At precisely 7 PM we begin our bedtime routine: pajamas are changed into, teeth are brushed, books are selected and read, lights out, "night-nights" and "I love yous" all around, the end.

Are you laughing? Ya, it never happens like that. A friend recently said bedtime was like herding cats. Getting them both (or even a single child, I imagine, and I refuse to imagine more then two) in the same place at the same time is nearly impossible. Getting them to follow through with a task without whining or getting side-tracked is impossible. Getting them to sit still through story time is often impossible. Getting the 4 year old to actually stay in his bed once the door is shut is hopeless.

I then have a couple of hours to quell my nervous ticks. I would love to use this time to partake in a hobby or read a book but I am far too tired. A movie sounds nice but how long is it? Ah, the mindless world of the internet it is! At precisely 10 PM I am sound asleep.

Repeat.

So how do you survive everyday? How do you go through this parenting bit joyfully?