Softly going crazy

Monday was a bit of a crazy day in my house.  It’s all faded into the past now, but I thought I should write it down so I don’t forget how ridiculous things can get sometimes…

On Monday mornings, Andrew goes to preschool, and Sylvia and I come home and clean the house.  This week, I really went all out.  After vacuuming, dusting, washing the windows, cleaning the bathroom, mopping the kitchen, emptying the litter boxes, and doing four loads of laundry, I was pooped.  I’d also been up past 1am the night before working on a photo order.

And then, Sylvia decided not to take her afternoon nap.  So by 3pm, the kids were both a little grouchy, I was out of gas, and thence we began our downward spiral.

Sylvia likes going potty on the toilet.  She sometimes is very opinionated about not wearing diapers.  On Monday, that was the case in spades.  She pulled off diapers faster than I could put them on her.  And then she kept peeing on the floor.

We’d get some rags, and she would help me clean it up.  Not a big deal – we have hardwood floors – but annoying, especially because hours before the house was so clean.  Then she peed on my cashmere blanket.

We tussled, the diaper went on, the diaper came off, and then she came and got me again, “Uh oh, Mommy.”

She’d peed on two couch cushions (Where was all this pee coming from??  Did she drink the bathtub??)

I kind of blew my lid.  It was like the Rath of Khan.  (At least in my brain.)

My first thought was to haul the couch out to the curb.  Seriously.  Just trash the whole thing.  Then I spoke sternly enough to Sylvia (and perhaps it was the crazed look that had come into my eye) that she submitted to a diaper and kept in on the remainder of the evening.

I washed the couch cushions, and I sat down.  Bryan was out for the evening, and it was dinner time.  I gave the kids cereal and apples with peanut butter.  At bedtime, Andrew asked politely for supper.  I told him we’d already had it.  He informed me that that was a snack, not supper.  Too bad, kiddo, Mama was losing her marbles, and what you get in that situation is cereal.

Ahh, fun times, fun times.  Sweet memories…