bedtime around these parts has been very drawn out and dramatic, so suffice it to say, after many stall techniques, meltdowns, and cryfests, both of my daughters finally fell asleep at 9:30. i started bedtime at 7:30. two. hours. of. drama. in the midst of all of their antics they were alternately quite sweet, so i vacillated between wanting to sign up to star in an episode of supernanny and wanting to soak up little hugs and giggles, not to mention their comical attempts to stay up later. (m is an expert- sadly i think she got those genes from me, because i still remember some of the lines i used on my parents to stay up later.) anyhoo, they sort of sucked all of the remaining energy out of me and i have been laying on the couch watching the first episode of the glee project & drinking ginger ale. (wild & crazy, i know)
{i should note that i am not a bedtime pushover... really! but lately, these girls give me a run for my money. as it got later and later i finally resorted to putting one of m's implants back on for a stern talking to. minimal signing, facial expressions and body language can go only so far when m's implants are off. she knows what i am saying; it is a simple message: "get in bed. stay in bed. go to sleep." plus some combination of "leave your sister alone. no, you don't need water, potty, another hug, or another book." she can read lips, but she takes advantage of her implants being off to look away and ignore my mouth or what i'm trying to sign. that and she is incredibly loud when she throws a fit sans-implants (which happens to most often be at bedtime), invariably riling ruby up. point being, after my chat with m, she crawled into bed and stayed, and i rocked ruby for a long time to calm her down (her screams had been escalating with every stall technique and bed-escape that m pulled.)}
somehow two hours had vanished.
and so here we are, pushing 10:30 and my queu of partial blog posts remains.
yesterday i dropped off the last in a group of five big deadlines (with lots of bits and pieces) i've had for papyrus. the final artwork looked something like this:
that said, after many hours i successfully swapped too small for just right clothes all around, sorted through to get rid of a bunch for goodwill and to pass along extras. i know, i know, such a glamorous life i lead, really. i'm sure you are by now dripping with envy at my day, and so at that, i think it's time for me to crash.
out of curiosity, what household or just general life task is one of those necessary but super-annoying ones for you? (for instance, i love folding laundry but i hate putting it away. stopping for gas? i drive until my car is on the e-train because it's on my list of least-fave activities.)
ok, really. now. close computer. turn off lights. brush teeth. crash.
Dear Kelli, how did you go about posting an account of your last week of nights (including the swapping of girls' clothes) and your distaste for putting away folded laundry on Susannah's blog? Nice trick.
ReplyDeleteI love reading your blogs, even when it's the mundane.
ReplyDeleteHere's a funny thing... Samuel on the Glee Project was Rain's first friend. They were born 3 weeks apart, and played together in the nursery!
filling up the car with gas and putting the clean bed linens back on the bed.
ReplyDeleteI detest getting gas too ( always have to do it when I'm running late and that drives me crazy). Also dislike putting clean sheets back on bed ( I inevitably forget til I'm tired and longing to just crawl into bed!). Bedtime can definitely feel like a chore ( though it's full of sweet moments too).
ReplyDeleteoh kelli-you made me laugh outloud. good thing, because our morning started in the FIVES when m decided to climb onto our bed.
ReplyDeletenicola-that's so fun! looks like he kept his dreads longer than she did. ;)
ReplyDeletealso, everyone-i think we should live in new jersey, or one of those other states where you can stay in your car & they fill it up for you. although i'm not sure that it's even getting out of the car for me...it's just stopping to get gas.
We just did a major purge of Ben's wardrobe a few days ago (it's quicker and easier when two adults and daycare are involved). Tomorrow afternoon I've arranged for a big playdate and clothing swap with a bunch of our friends at a local playground -- we all bring too-small clothes and pick through them.
ReplyDeleteMy least favorite household task involves our incontinent cat. I'll leave the rest to your imagination.
We went through a month or so of Bedtimes From Hell shortly after Ben turned three. It was everything you described -- delay tactics, meltdowns, and pushing every last parental button just to see what it would do. Fortunately it eased up a bit, although we still get the occasional flare-up -- last night was a case in point.
The Fives should be illegal. Isn't it still dark outside then? Not sure. Never checked.
ReplyDeleteEven worse than putting clean sheets on the bed-- putting a duvet on your comforter. I always end up stuck inside of it somehow with arms outstretched trying to stuff comforter to the farthes corners. It's terrifying really.
ReplyDeleteAnd I grew up in Oregon where they pump your gas for you & it really is the way to go. Who wants to get their hands all dirty with a gas pump? Ewww.