How the most insane day can become heartwarming (in the bitter cold)

There was a popular song when I was a teenager by Brandy or Monica called "Just One of them Days".  Totally thought it was about a girl who had PMS and didn't want to deal with her boyfriend... now I'm convinced it's about a mother not wanting to deal with her life.

Today started out actually surprisingly well (which you'd of thought would have tipped me off to what was coming--but naively I went on with a blind and dumb expectation that today would be a breeze).  Joel went into school without fighting to have me walk him to his class... I got to the gym for the first time this year (not really, but still) and was able to get a sweet, lovable Kaeden to walk into the gym, and run off to play in the kids area smiling and waving "bye bye momma, love you!".  A great work out, and even a ride home with no traffic.

Whoo hoo--in the words of my adorable little buttheads :)

I got home, knowing I needed to get some documentation for passports--the true calling of the day.  I went into the garage, not having a clue as to where the paperwork I needed was (don't ya just love that whole "I had this five years ago and it's somewhere in here" feeling?)  First box in--under a stack of pictures... surprise surprise, documents!!  Double whoo hoo.  Went to McDonald's, got two chicken nugget happymeals, stacked them nicely (halloween buckets, think food forall) and went to pick Joel up from school. 

Again, everything is great (whoo to the hooo to the holler!).  I even went as far as getting a grilled chicken sandwich and a fruit and yogurt (bogurt, via Kaeden) parfait---keeping my caloric intake super low for a fast food excursion. 

Then, I went to a government agency to look for assistance.  Dun dun dun.

Passports--they're the devil.  Who knew everyone was expected to kidnap their child from the country while their spouse wasn't looking.  ...now, Dad needs to get a day off work too, to prevent that (he only wishes we would escape and maximize his sanity and wallet--he's so not that lucky).  Lovely.  And, that's right, the first opportunity to do this passport thing... Saturday.  Interesting fact: our trip is three weeks from Wed.  ...and yes, I'm expecting these passports to arrive like yesterday.

The benefit of adopting so close to your vacation (a vacation, btw, booked to celebrate that we didn't have to ask a government official for permission to take our children out of the country--isn't that just uncle sam smacking me in the face and laughing his patootie off?)  is that you get to rush around, have anxiety attacks, and freak out for no real reason... because of the "hurry up and wait" process we American's are so expected to enjoy.

Breathe, girl.  Breathe.

After an hour of "we'll do this" call two people, crap, can't, "we'll do that", call two people, crap, can't... over and over, I came to the conclusion that we're going to buy passports illegally and live in Guam... okay, maybe not, but we are going to seriously pay out the patootie because we're going to go next week and get them with a super fab rush--a whopping 24-48hour turnaround.  (And you thought our government didn't rush anything, hah).  They who have money (are stupid stupid individuals, but I digress)....

So, I decided "let's not completely scrap this day", and I headed to a local children's museum.  I talked it up, keeping the boys awake and alert and excited... "we'll play with the water, and the train table, and the cows and...." oooh the time they're gonna have.  Into the parking garage we go... "boys--up up up up up" and they begin singing the newfound crazed "up" song (note: words are all "up"), all the way to the fifth floor of the parking garage...

And then I discover Joel has peed his pants--which he swears is NOT pee.  Thinking I'm seriously in trouble because I definately did NOT pack extra clothes... I manged to find a pair of Kaeden's underpants and Joel's pants burried in a cubby under the seat of the car.  That, that's God right there... just like the documents in the garage, I figure.  So, changed, dry, clean, and off we go...

Down the elevator, onto the very narrow sidewalk, jubilantly (is that a word?) walking excitedly towards the museum... singing about the fun we're going to have "water, water, jumping in the water, trains, trains, playing with the trains..."  all to see, Monday is the day they're NOT open.

Uhh?!

So, as a second best--Dunkin Donuts.  Totally... Joel has a newfound love of donuts (thanks to breakfast at his school) and they have halloween donuts (along with pumpkin k cups--holler).  So, we get a chocolate milk, a jug of juice, an iced coffee, and two donuts... and realize there are not only no public bathrooms here... but also, no place to sit.  Surprisingly, there was a nice table outside--in the 40degree weather, so, we went to sit there.  (brrrr). 

Know what?  That fifteen minutes of sitting calmly with my boys, watching them enjoy a donut and drink their juice/milk...  made my day.  It made everything that was crazy and difficult and anxiety ridden just disappear.  The cold weather and wind--totally didn't matter.  Man kids can seriously do a number on you.

After the donuts, Joel decided he was cold... so I switched up and decided "I'll do hot chocolate for him" and got that going... and I got them both a Christmas donut (seriously, before halloween, there are Christmas donuts?!)  As I paid the man, Joel dropped the remainder of his chocolate milk on the floor. 

Whoo hoo? 

And, as we were advised by a passer by---that the train station we were next to had a bathroom and warm place to eat, we rolled thatta way--for Joel to drop that entire cup of hot chocolate on their floor.

And, after a long battle of trying to find a post office to mail something we met my mom for dinner...

Where Joel and Kaeden were both served an open glass-glass of water.  (what the hell were those people thinking, lol).  And, I wonder why the busboy was scooting us out of the restaurant... they don't enjoy indoor waterparks??  I mean really... isn't everyone as entertained as I am when their son becomes a fountain??  It really is no wonder the busboy started snapping at me when the boys wen tto go check out the halloween decor.  ...even though they really truly were not doing anything wrong.

Ugh.

Anyhow--there's my day in a nutshell... though, speaking of nuts...

We have Percy (commonly heard as pussy) fights.  We discuss (but don't drink from) the Piston (pissing) Cup... and now, we're careful not to repeat our actions today of dripping frosting from our donut--because when that happens we point down to the crotch of our pants and yell "ut oh, ocky dooo nuts".  ...Kaeden, who spilled donut, apparently has "ocky doo nuts".  --his poor future wife.

Til next time folks

Turning a corner??

These past few days, I've begun to ponder life as a mom of two toddlers.  In the past it seemed highly overwhelming, stressful, frustrating, and difficult.  Thrown in there were moments of fun, but overall it was difficult. 

In the past week, as Joel has turned three... it's begun to be more fun than work.  I'm noticing this fun persona in my little boy that is making life just a little more enjoyable.  He's funny--but he doesn't really know it.  He's learning what rules are and expects everyone to follow them.  He'll refuse to allow you to cross the street if there is a car, three lights away from the corner you're standing on.  He'll push you back from the grassy area past the sidewalk (because he's not allowed on that area).  He knows not to touch the stove, and play in the sink (if he's supervised--when he can, he does attempt to get away with those tasks).  And, his speech is comical as well.  Trying to teach him to appropriately say certain things, and listening to his newfound approach is something that almost always leaves me in stitches.  (think Nemo as Knee Leg Smoe).

And Kaeden, oh Kaeden.  He's stuck in that "I want more independence" and it's driving me a bit crazy.  However, I will say that he has become my biggest little partner in crime.  He's such a sweetie... when Joel isn't around, he's a snuggle-butt and is so very concerned about how everyone around him feels.  He'll walk up and say "hug mommy, I love you!"  or "Mommy you okay?".  If he hurts you accidentally for whatever reason, immediately it's "I sorry, you okay?  Hugs, you okay?"  It's such a sweet thing to see--wondering if this too will carry on, into his adult life.  There are so many characteristics this little boy has that I had as a child.  Putting others first is another of those qualities.  So, as time goes on, we'll see.

So, lately, in short, parenting these two crazy balls of energy--it's been fun.  And, I'm happy to be able to say that.