I keep a journal for Buddy and Lou, with the exclusive purpose of writing things they say that are funny, sentimental, etc. I added a good one last night but felt writing it out in more detail here captured the story more effectively.
Last night, as I was putting them to bed after a loooong day (L was out of town on a business trip), I walked downstairs to find huge messes in their playroom and both of their bedrooms. Lou’s room was particularly messy with dirty clothes, a wet bathing suit, several coat hangers, and endless toys scattered from wall to wall. Part of my Mother’s Day treats from the kids involved a thorough cleaning of all these rooms so you can imagine my shock (who am I kidding, should I have really been shocked about this?) when I walked down to these messes.
I have a deficit of patience past about 8:00 p.m. with my children, and this scene did me in. I ranted and raved for several minutes about how no one was following the house rules, how I spend my day constantly picking up after children, how it would make me the happiest person in the world for my children to just do something without being asked a thousand times, and all the other things this tired Mama is likely to say (but probably shouldn’t) to her kids when she’s stressed and tired.
They both sat there half listening, Buddy playing with his Legos, Lou waiting for me to help floss her teeth. Then Lou’s eyes lit up and she interrupted me, very excitedly, to say, “Mama, Mama!! Tomorrow I’m going to help you sooooo much! Listen, I’m going to tell you this! Tomorrow, I’m going to help you COOK!” God love her 🙂
Yeah. When I do things like this, Matthew looks up at me and says 'I love you mom!' Gah. Turns me around every time. I don't even care that he might be saying it to get out of whatever he did or didn't do.
I want to see some photos from those rooms!