Lest anyone be impressed......

[mharling]

..... about me going to the beach with both kiddos (with our babysitter along; see summer pic thread), you'll be happy to know that we had a less than successful visit to our splash park today (sans babysitter).

I felt like a heel of a mom because I forgot a bucket for Lane. He kept trying to take other kids' buckets and was jealous of the kids who had them. My best-laid plans to have Faye hang out in the stroller in the shade with a favorite toy did not work (Faye had other plans). I resorted to putting sunscreen on her since I knew I'd have to follow Lane around on bucket-duty while carrying her. We left after about 45 minutes. Sigh.

My new motto:
Some days work. Some days don't.

Mary
Lane - April 2003
Faye - March 2005

[C99]

Mary,

It must be the heat. I was ready to leave Nate w/ the kind folks at Trader Joe's today! He drank 1/4 bottle of Tylenol this morning, so I had to call Poison Control, then he mauled Rose's face while I was putting the cart away at TJ's (and laughed when I got angry w/ him, which was the most enraging part), and then our pre-nap storyhour was cut short when he beaned me in the head w/ a toy. We got a call today that Nate got into the MDO program this fall and I'm feeling both gleeful and guilty over it at the same time.

[aliceinwonderland]

LOL! I love your new moto. And you *still* have my admiration: I've had a host people helping around here with my ONE child, and everyday I feel like I got run over by a train.

I feel guilty now as my parents took Erik back to Philly today (I'm joining them tomorrow). Ah, but sleep!!

e.

[mharling]

Don't feel guilty about being gleeful!! He'll love it and so will you.

We've had our sitter for almost 3 months now (6 hrs, 2 days a week) and about a month a go I had the breakthrough realization that she's here just as much for Lane as she is for me.

Mary
Lane - April 2003
Faye - March 2005

[mharling]

Don't feel guilty!!!! Enjoy your sleep; now you have my admiration!!!

Mary
Some days work. Some days don't.

Lane - April 2003
Faye - March 2005

[mharling]

Don't feel guilty!!!! Enjoy your sleep; now you have my admiration!!!

Mary
Some days work. Some days don't.

Lane - April 2003
Faye - March 2005

[Calmegja2]

I may have that made into a tat for my forehead.

It's just so true. ;-)

[DDowning]

Mary, I love your new motto! Some days I wonder if I should shoot myself in the head for turning down my husband's offer of a nanny 3 days a week. Carson starts preschool in August and often times I find myself counting the days....

[kelly ann]

Mary-

I hear ya!!!! That is definitely the right motto when you have a newborn and a toddler! However, I must be a bigger heel of a mom because I still have yet to buy DS a bucket :)

[DebbieJ]

Bummer. And today has been so dang hot too. Maybe tomorrow? I plan on crashing my aunt's pool tomorrow! Heat index of 100+!! Woo hoo!

Hang in there momma! Sounds like you have a great attitude about it. (And I wouldn't worry about the sunscreen on Faye)

~ deb
DS 12/03
And a niece or nephew arriving in early August!

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/10029.gif

[amp]

Mary and Caroline - You both gave me a laugh. Glad to know I won't be alone when struggling with two and wondering what the heck I was thinking! Thanks for the giggle!

[lmintzer]

Oh gosh, you guys. It's good to hear your stories. I had a hard time taking them around the block to play in a new neighbor's yard. The baby kept getting in the way of the big kids (4 year-olds plus and older brother), so I was playing goalie with him. Then, the older kids got in a fight in the sandbox. Then, the baby got into standing water in a plastic basketball hoop set and had to get hosed off. I just kept racing from one to the other and back to the first again. I couldn't even have an adult conversation with my new friends.

It's awful--it feels like this whenever we get together with people. I can't complete a thought before someone needs my attention. We're new here, and I really want to get to know people, but this is making it harder.

I was thinking about having a BBB get together (for locals) at my house, and I still want to, but I just keep thinking "couldn't I have it after the kids are in bed?" LOL. The kids are what brings us together, but they can prevent us from getting to know each other.

Caroline--1/4 bottle of Tylenol? OMG! What did poison control say to do?

[jec2]

oh well! I must say, you are a brave brave mama for even attempting it! If i had two, you wouldn't even see me on the front lawnt until the two were driving.

[Sarah1]

>My new motto:
>Some days work. Some days don't.
>
That is a GREAT motto!!!!! Mary, you're awesome. Oh, I hate it when I forget stupid things like 99 cent buckets. I'm amazed you lasted 45 minutes.

YOu know what Audrey said to me today? "I don't like you." Grrrr. AlthougH I wanted to yell back "I don't like you either" I stayed calm and mature and said, "Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that. I love you very much." Take THAT!

She has been acting out so much the last few days (I am pretty certain it's due to the fact that she started "camp" and is spending more time away from me), though, that I've finally figured out how to stay calm and cope. I think this is good preparation for when the baby comes on the scene. Lord knows there will be some more acting out then...I'm scared!

[C99]

Kelly Ann,

I just bought Nate a bucket this evening. We were at Target buying a b-day present and I had Mary's post about the bucket in my head.

[C99]

Lisa,

I know! There was just a Chicago gathering and I joked afterward that we should do it again w/o kids -- I was only 1/2 kidding. When my playgroup has mom's nights, we still talk about the same things...we're just actually able to finish the conversation!

Re: the Tylenol. It was kiddie Tylenol. They said that since he's 30 lbs, he was fine (it was probably only a couple of times the normal dosage for his weight). He'd have to have drunk 3/4 of bottle for it to be a problem and then I'd have to take him to the ER.

[aliceinwonderland]

oh that was awful! But I'm LOL at the urge to say--I don't like you so much right now either.

Erik threw his first fit the other day: stomped his feet and marched to the corner and started crying with so much anger in his eyes looking at me...I found it so hard not to laugh (this little person stomping his feet!) but he has such a strong personality, I just expect he'll say things like that in the future!!

[wagner36]

>I know! There was just a Chicago gathering and I joked
>afterward that we should do it again w/o kids -- I was only
>1/2 kidding.

I barely got to talk to ANYONE as much I wanted to, since Charlie sat in the basement and watched Maisy, so I am all for that idea!

I bought a bucket a Walgreen's this afternoon after reading Mary's post.....great minds think alike.....

[wagner36]

You are a much bigger person than I am - I would have definitely had to bite my tongue....

Charlie's been a bear lately, I have no idea how I'm going to make it through this 2 thing. I totally thought I avoided it, and then WHAM! the nightmare begins.

Oh - I forgot to tell you - I watched the Britney/Kevin wedding after you guys left on Saturday. I was so appalled, but I could not turn it off.

And - you were right about Scarlett and Josh Hartnett - I think you predicted that one MONTHS ago!

[aliceinwonderland]

while mamas chat :)

I did not chat nearly as much as I wanted to, but it was at least great to meet everyone :)

[NEVE and TRISTAN]

So I resemble this scenerio totally!!!!!
Can totally imagine the day...and note IF you brought the bucket there would have been another "must have" so don't fret too much over that one...I'm starting to realize with T'ster that I just can't win at the pool or anywhere public :)

Two weeks ago we joined the pool...thank goodness the moms in my moms club saw us and came a running to help...

I joked when they see us from now on they'll run for their lives.

One of the most stressful days of my life so I can only imagine how you felt!!!!

I'm stealing your moto!!!!! :)
Neve
Reichen (6), Karsh (3), Tristan (2) and baby girl Bronwyn born March 10th!!!!

[beckyr88]

Tara, I'm watching Britney/Kevin wed as I type!! Want-to-change-the-channel-CAN'T-change-the-channel!!! He's in that awful t shirt almost the whole time!

And to Mary--I was *so* ready for today to be over...then I looked at the clock and it was 9:30 AM!! And that happens at least once a week... :( I am so with you all. We packed up everything and went to the IL's for a change of scenery (and some a/c and pool!!! :) ).

[lmintzer]

Caroline,
I'm really glad Nate's okay!! My heart just sunk when I saw this post. Tylenol is one of those drugs that has no side effects in proper dose but can be overdosed on without taking that much extra. I'm really glad he didn't drink too much.

[C99]

I know! I saw a commercial once where someone from Tylenol said that they'd rather you didn't take Tylenol if you can't follow the directions and that's why I thought to call Poison Control. I have their number on my fridge.

[alexsmommy]

Ummm, Alex has five buckets/shovels. Yep. Five. Why? Because Mommy can NEVER remember to bring the buckets/shovels anywhere and DS will steal other kids buckets. So there is one in the trunk of the car - for when we go to the park and Mommy didn't throw the stroller back in the car, one in the stroller - for when we walk to the park and Mommy forgets to get the one out of the trunk, one in the sand table, one in the pool toys and one for the bathtub. I'm going to Target as soon as I get off this computer and buying - yep, you guessed it - another bucket for Grandma's. Sigh. Thank goodness they are cheap.
Alaina
Alex 2-4-03

Edited to say DS will steal buckets - not DH.

[houseof3boys]

You are a brave brave woman for even trying. I cannot even imagine. Today, we went to the farmers market and it took me 20 minutes to even calm down after we left. Once again, I was the mom you look at with her baby screaming her head off and you say, "Poor woman." Oh yeah, the clerk told me that my debit card was declined after I had put it away in my wallet in my bag underneath the cart while trying to stop Ryan from throwing the slice of watermelon out of the cart. I had to get the card out of my wallet again to run it through the machine while some sweet older lady tried to stop Riley from screaming at the top of her lungs. Phew, that was exhausting.

I'm proud of your efforts my dear. :)

[brigmaman]

*scratching head*
This thread has me rolling. I'm sooo glad to hear stories like this. (Except the part about Nate drinking the Tylenol! My ped told me once that Brig would have to drink the whole bottle to overdose...not sure that's accurate, though.)
Misery loves company I guess. We went to a LLL meeting an hour away today that ended up lasting 2 hours!! Brig was so good but he did manage to spill a glass of OJ in the leader's home. I think the other mothers (of 1) must have thought I was a nervous wreck I was so scattered. The leader kept asking me questions and I had no idea how to answer because I'd been paying attention to Brig. I felt like I was in college again.