This morning, on my way out the door to take Garrett to Seminary, I slid in my snow boots on what looked like wet cement. Luckily, I gained control before my knee hit the cement. Once I got back from taking Garrett, things seemed to go fairly smoothly until my 8 year old daughter walked out the door holding her two new favorite books -- without remembering her backpack and lunch box. She'd gotten half way to school before I woke the neighborhood by yelling for her to come back. Once she came back, she wanted me to drive her because "it's raining, and my books!" She waved them in my face to emphasize their vulnerability. I reminded her that backpacks are supposed to protect books and that she could walk to school, thank you very much! My 2 year old Alyssa must not have been changed by her older siblings before bed last night because she not only reeked when she got up, but her clothes and bedding were completely soaked. She didn't like the whole experience, and cried her way through being separated from her blankey as well as being put into the tub for her bath. Lena, who I thought was sleeping, suddenly appeared in the bathroom holding Alyssa's princesses and saved the day as only a 4 year old could. My ten year old James volunteered to do his reading while sitting on the lid of the toilet and watching both Lena and Alyssa for me. After even James had made his way to school, I double checked my calendar before getting ready for my 10 o'clock doctor's appointment with a neurologist. I discovered that the appointment was really at 1:45 p.m. So, after cancelling my babysitter yesterday since Ladd said he could watch the kids for me, I called her up again and admitted to my mistake. She was extremely gracious and told me whatever I needed to do would fit her schedule. I got busy on my dishes, straightening, and laundry. I even managed to sweep my kitchen floor. Unfortunately, I found that the door to my washer was doing something newly frustrating. I had to ask Ladd twice to close it so I could do my two batches of laundry I managed to fit into my morning. When it was time for Ladd to leave, I asked him to haul out a huge bag of D.I. stuff. He did so in his dress shoes and looked like he had ice skates on. He managed to stay upright, but sometimes his legs were wide spread and he had to use his hands to stop his downward spiral (dropping the bag in the process)! After he left, I kicked it into high gear, and before hauling all of us out to the car, I threw cups and cups of salt down on our driveway. We finally were all settled into our car seats and I headed to Kelsy's. I dropped off my girls and struggled finding the doctor's office I was going to visit. I finally headed into the nearest office and begged for help. They gave me a new address entirely with minute descriptions attached and I found it! The neurologist asked me tons of questions and did his "thing." At the end, he made some educated guesses as to why I was blacking out. He did admit that my exam for my body going numb was "normal" (It's truly not my favorite word ever! That's all I hear from doctors!!!), but suggested I go through another test after my baby comes that people say causes discomfort and pain through the medium of needles and electric shock. It's now scheduled for the middle of April -- not even enough time to catch my breath after the baby comes!!! AAAAGH!! I must admit I left the doctor's office a bit overwhelmed and "down" over the lack of answers. I have a fear of needles. Boy. Will this be fun!! I headed back to Kelsy's. Once there, we couldn't find Lena or one pair of their snow boots. The last words Kelsy remembered Lena saying to her was that she wanted to go outside. She said it had only been a couple of minutes, but we couldn't find Lena anywhere. I finally took Alyssa out to the car and buckled her in with her clean blankey. In the process of searching outside, Cecilia called me on the phone. I told her I couldn't talk right then, and to prove my point, I slipped on the cement and landed hard on my left side. I told her again I couldn't talk, and hung up. I was a bit dizzy from the fall, but thought everything else was fine -- as long as I could find Lena. I finally told Kelsy I would be incredibly rude and search her whole house over. She told me to do it. I walked into Ashton's room and noticed the covers on the bed moving. Then, the smiling face of Lena's appeared and she said, "I is hiding, mommy!" I told Kelsy where she'd been hiding and Kelsy said, "She was hiding on TOP of the bed!" Then she shook her head and said she didn't know a four year old could hide that well for that amount of time! We were just glad we hadn't yet called the police! By the time we picked up Cali, ran a few errands, dropped Cali off and switched her out with Cecilia, let Cecilia run into Walmart and spend her money, picked up Garrett (he passed his road test -- YEAH!!!!!!), ran another errand, and finally arrived at home, I was feeling decidedly bruised and tender on my left side and backside. I turned the mac 'n cheese making over to Cecilia. I found Jarom's backpack so he could actually do his homework. I assured Ruby I'd try to remember to tell the Tooth Fairy to visit her tonight (she didn't know last night!). I told James to give me a few minutes and I'd proof read his 5 paragraph essay so he could "scrapbook" it per his teacher's instructions. I walked to my room, locked my door, and vented to Ladd via phone for a few minutes. After dinner, I experienced one of my moments where I wished I could freeze frame the picture forever in my heart. I often wonder lately how long we can exist in our current home because the walls are closing in on our growing family. For just a few moments, I saw each of our children occupying themselves with different pursuits in the same room without jumping down each other's throats. Cali was at the main computer doing homework and facebook with her music pulsing quietly. Garrett sat on the small couch absorbed with his itouch. Cecilia lay sprawled on the big couch, her toes shoving matched socks further down the couch with James' soft, fuzzy blanket warming her lower half while reading her current time-consuming book and singing along to Cali's music. James sat at the fold down desk "scrapbooking" his essay. Lena stood before the TV playing with her toys on the ledge of the entertainment stand. Mckenzie, Ruby, and Alyssa sat on the floor playing "Spot It" "baby-style" -- as they described it. Jarom sat at the roll top desk just into the kitchen's dining area chugging away at his math. And, I still sat at the kitchen table, scrolling through my e-mail and Facebook accounts on my iphone. It only lasted a few minutes, then a funky song came on and Lena had to show me how she was dancing like a frog, and then a cat. Ruby had to show me how a dog would dance. Jarom got restless, so I got up to stand at his shoulder to do a bit of my mother "encouraging" and backed up slightly in the process which knocked down the folded up kitchen chairs which landed hard on Lena's outstretched middle finger (I'm sure part of her claw). Then I found myself pulling out my nursing hat, soaking her throbbing and swollen finger in ice water and comforting her in my arms and distracting her with the Barbie Rapunzel movie. I finally gave up on the idea that Jarom was supposed to finish his science homework, pack for the winter campout that's tomorrow, and practice some of the two hours of drum practice he has left to practice this week. We read scriptures, said prayers, talked over our schedule for tomorrow, and tried to figure out how Saturday was going to work. Then begged and threatened until all the kids were in their beds. I made Alyssa's bed after Cecilia changed her diaper. Cali kindly switched over the laundry and put the last few spoonfuls of mac 'n cheese away. Now, I'm desperately wondering how to convince Lena and Alyssa to actually go to sleep (too much nap time during all the driving we did today). Garrett came thundering into their room to demand them to stop their banging (it hadn't yet occurred to me it would affect Garrett who is sleeping directly under them). I've already sung to them, allowed Lena to go to the bathroom, ignored Alyssa's plea to go to the bathroom (any excuse to get out of bed, right?!!), and told them I was turning off all lights soon. They're still playing in their room. Lena even told me she needed to "talk at me". I'm hoping for quiet soon. . . .
All of these experiences I've bumbled through with only five hours of sleep in me. If I don't get to sleep soon, tomorrow is going to be a bear!!
P.S. -- I just checked on Lena and Alyssa. They were both asleep on the floor of their room. . . .
No comments:
Post a Comment