Day 26: Crying Kids

We spent the day up in Denver visiting grandma and grandad. Yeah, we just spent the night last night. I was shocked to find when we got back last night that my kids were all sleeping, except for the baby, but she went down shortly after we got home. I was shocked about this because I forgot to bring Jack's blankets and pacifier, a terrible mistake. That seemed to be my trend yesterday. It took us three whole tries to leave the house to get up here because I first forgot Alivia's milk, and I was pretty sure my mother-in-law would disown me if I forgot that. Then when we got out of the neighborhood the second time, I realized I forgot a bottle. At this point Shawn said "Wow, it's like a bad dream." So you can imagine how pathetic I realized I am when I came home and realized I left Jack's blankets and pacifier, and this morning I realized I totally forgot to bring myself a change of clothes for today. Thank goodness Shawn's little sister Steff still has this place semi-stocked.

As forgetful as I have been lately, I feel like I can totally claim myself incompetent on this one. Do you know how hard it is to try to think clearly enough to pack for yourself, your husband and 3 kids when you have constant crying at the same time? Alivia has had a couple bad days. I think it's mostly just for me, I don't think she likes me very much. But hey, hopefully she will get it all out now while she is young and her teenage years will be a breeze. I have a right to dream. Shawn and I have for sure decided that she is hands down our highest maintenance baby yet. There is just nothing we can think of to calm her down for several hours of the day. So her crying is my claim to incompetence, or insanity, which ever makes more sense. I can't really think it through right now as both Jack and Alivia are crying themselves to sleep, which is very stressful on a mom, that's why I'm on here, to distract myself from the impulse to run to them. Jack is crying because he doesn't have his blanky or pacifier, and Alivia because she just wouldn't know what to do with herself if she weren't expressing her opinion of discontent.

One quick Lucy update, she is so dang smart and such an awesome helper, I don't give her much credit on here, so it needs to be stated. Yesterday when Jack fell off my lap and needed some major comfort, Lucy came up to me and picked Alivia up off my lap (under the arm pits and everything), sat down on the floor with her and rocked her back and forth while shushing her and trying to get her to take her pacifier. It was at that moment that I decided that Lucy makes my life so much easier for me, and she loves that she can do that. I love that little thing. Today she also sat down to color and sounded out "super hero" on her own to write it down. She spelled it "SOOPR HROOO". Not bad for not having a day in her life of formal lessons. She is one smart little cookie.

Now I need to get Alivia, but Jack is asleep. I'll take 50% any day. Why is a 50% failing in school? That so isn't good preparation for life as a parent. Okay, I guess you never want to give 50% as a parent, but hey, giving 100% and getting 50% of your goal accomplished is pretty good anyway. That means some of all your hard work is paying off, and that is better than nothing.