Wednesday, September 12, 2007

You win some, you lose some

If nothing else, having kids can give you some laughs. And they can also make you want to run away, screaming like a lunatic.

Case number 1:
I was sitting at the dining room table, working on some jewelry (I started making jewelry a long time ago, but I never could make the time) and the girls were playing in the living room. Lorelei said, "Mommy! Look!". I was distracted, so I said, "What is it?" and she said,
"Look how strong I am!"
I turned and saw this:



(For those of you who can't figure this out...she stuffed toys into her dress to make "muscles")

Shoot. If breasts made you strong, I would be the Incredible Freakin' Hulk.

Isabelle was not to be outdone, so she did it too:



Case number 2:
Just as dinner is ready, it is our routine for me to tell the girls to go up and get Geoff. Sometimes, to give Lorelei a head start, I whisper to her first, so she can get going for the stairs before Isabelle does. Lorelei, being the youngest, never seems to come in first. In anything.

Tonight, I told them that dinner was ready, but to wait for me to set the table. Lorelei started up anyway, and Isabelle ran up and grabbed her and started a fight. Then as Lorelei was screaming, Isabelle dashed up and got to Geoff first.
I went up to tell Isabelle how sometimes it's okay to let Lorelei do something first. Isabelle was in a big snit and slammed the door in my face. Well, that went over real well.
I opened the door, and asked her if she would like to spend the entire evening in her room. She said no, and then proceeded to throw things around her room. I just lost all patience and told her goodnight, and shut her door.
A fit of epic proportions ensued behind said door.

I went in and calmed her down, and when she was ready to listen, I talked about being the bigger person, that letting Lorelei win will help build her little sister's confidence, blah blah.

She asked if she still had to stay in her room all evening, and I said no, of course not.
She said, "I forgive you, Mommy."

I needed to walk away. She forgives me?

I am now online, looking for train tickets to another state.

8 comments:

entoto said...

I am laughing so hard, I have tears! Oh, man, Susan. Forget the train! Get on the plane. From Chicago. I'll pick you up. We have a non-stop!

Mary said...

Me, too!!!!!! Sorry, Susan, but I am laughing. You really know how to tell a story. Those girls will make you crazy unless you have a sense of humor. It will save you! They are full of mind twisting games that leave you numb. In the end, they are lovely little girls and will make you proud one day.

Kathi said...

Without children of my own (a blessing on days like this) I have to resort to my colleague's children for moods like these. Yesterday, the 5 year old said "Can't you just be QUIET for ONE SECOND in my life?" I didn't know whether to be offended or to laugh. Where do they come up with this stuff?

Dave Dorsey said...

I forgive you also Susan. :) My kids are grown but those memories are still fresh in my mind.

Ruth said...

The best is yet to come! Age seven is pretty much perfect, but after that, anything can be expected. Great post!
I will have to look up some exercises for those muscles. They might help my patients.

Unknown said...

Sigh. Sometimes you just have to wish you lived the single life in a big city where you could go out in the evening with witty, intelligent friends and eat exotic foods and didn't answer to anyone but yourself.

And, then you remember how lonely that would really be. Focus on the "muscles" not the junior attitude. That's what I try to do. It doesn't work but I try.

(Doors regularly get slammed in my face as well just sos you know!)

Jess Riley said...

Haaa! Your children are comedy gold. I'm also laughing at Katdoc's colleague's child. Something tells me the kiddo heard this him/herself...more than once.

NatureWoman said...

OMG Susan. Love those "muscles"!! Guess I need to work out more to get muscles that look like those!!