Adventures in controlled chaos

What a week, what a week. I was right about one thing, the sense of calm I had Sunday is long gone. It's amazing how things can deteriorate so quickly...

Nathan has had an unbelievable attitude since he went back to school. Everything I say, he has to contradict it. If I say the sky is blue, he says it's purple. He reminds me of a teenager. Two days in a row, he assaulted Orion (once a slap in the face, the other a push). I really don't know what to do about that boy. With him, I am just trying to grin and bear it until there's another adult around to take him off my hands.

Orion has abandoned potty training. I am not so sure I am upset about that. I know he should be potty trained at 3.5, but it's so tiring trying to clean up after him when he's not in diapers. Yes, I am being lazy, but it's survival laziness.

Day 5 of Nolan not sleeping. I feel like a zombie. And I am still expected to be a graduate student. When I was reading the prompt for our assignments, it was literally like I was reading a foreign language. Not a great start.

Out toilet is clogged.....AGAIN. I swear, this is the third time this month alone. I almost screamed when Nathan told me. We tried plunging and snaking, but seeing as Steven never showed me how to use those things properly, I am guessing I am not actually doing these things right. And of course we're broke at the moment, so calling a plumber is out. I am at a loss.

And on top of all this crazyness, the babysitter can't come today. Wonderful.

Adventures with zoo animals

Day 2 of my 16 day stint as the sole parent in our house.

Yesterday was not as bad as I had anticipated. I was actually able to get some chores and homework done, and still have some time (and I used that term loosely. I am talking maybe five minutes,but it's more than I expected) to myself to get up to speed on my reading. I keep forgetting that Orion is almost 4 and is doesn't need me to watch over him constantly anymore. The older boys spent much of yesterday and today in the backyard, playing football, yelling, and acting like zoo animals. I am not holding my breath for this calm to last the entire two weeks though. I am sure once the kids realize they outnumber me by quite a margin, they'll proceed with a hostel takeover.

We made it to the Fun Fair yesterday, and it was nice. We rode on a train, petted some rabbits, fished, and ate some cotton candy. It would have been better with Steven. Oh well. I was actually able to make it to the grocery store as well. Didn't think I was going to be able to pull that off.

Now I am just sitting here, listening to the older boys have fun outside while the baby naps. Class resumes tomorrow. I am taking Marketing and Brand Management. Fun. We'll see if I actually can pass as someone who actually knows how to be a graduate student.

Off to make macaroni salad.

Adventures as a single mom

This morning Steven left for a two and a half week work trip. It's Saturday morning, the boys have all eaten their pancakes, and now they're watching Diego (yes, we're a T.V. family. I've accepted it) Not even two hours into our 16 day adventure and the following has already happened:

• I've scolded two of the three boys for various offenses ranging from harassing the baby to sitting upside down at the table. I've got to save my voice if I am going to continue at this rate.
• The house has gone from the neat, clean house it was when I went to bed last night, to a junk house, with food on the floor, toys littering every surface if the floor, and the sink full of dishes. It's like the mess regenerates itself.
• I am exhausted. Cooking breakfast, cleaning twice (as you can see from the above bulletin, that didn't do much good), doing homework, and trying to keep the boys in one piece, all on four hours of sleep. I really wish I drank coffee. Or did meth. Whichever will keep me going for longer.

Thank god I have a babysitter. Although she only comes three days a week, and although I mostly do homework hen she's here, as opposed to sleep, I've never been more grateful.

Later this afternoon, we're all going to Lacey Fun Fair. The boys look forward to this all year, and since I've taken all three boys out before, this shouldn't be much of a challenge. I also have to buy some supplies for Nathan's science project. The science fair is in a week and a half, and he hasn't even started it. He's a boy from my own heart.

So it's day 1 of 16. I am expecting to post a lot more in the next 16 days, as I have no local friends, and no one to whine to.

Adventures in a padded room (if only...)

I've had better weeks....

As if our poor pluming system hasn't been through enough, Orion decided to flush 3 full rolls of toilet paper down our brand new toilet, and thus clogging it up. Goodbye, $236! It was good knowing you! He's been on a destructive rampage lately, just in time to sell our house! I just love my son's impeccable timing...

Mother's Day came and went, and it was definitely way too short. I definitely had a great time with a book, a turkey sandwich, some peanut butter ice cream, and a Hills marathon (thank you TV Guide Network! It's like you read my mind). Only 362 more days until the next Mother's Day. I'll be counting down the days.

For the last five weeks, I've been an officially graduate student, after searching for a school for almost a full year. I really enjoy it, which is surprising, because I never though of myself as an MBA graduate. Hopefully I will actually be employable (which apparently I am not, maybe because of this shitty job market, maybe because I haven't worked in five years. Who knows.) In the mealtime, when I am not pounding out essays, raising children, or cleaning something, I've taken up crochet. It's super addicting. As sketchy as I am with it, it is my ambition to one day be able to make these:

I know, I know. Why make baby booties when there is no baby in the house (and by the time I learn how to make these, we probably won't have any kids, period, in the house.)? Well, baby shoes are adorable, even if there's no baby in them.