Jigsaw puzzle

Me, I'm waiting thus patiently, lying on the floor

I'm only trying to practice my jigsaw puzzle before it rains anymore

-The Rolling Stones

Well, the yesteryear calendar week has been an adventure. An adventure? Maybe a trial, a test, or a lesson inwards patience would live a amend manner to line it. It sounds similar 1 of my friends has had a similar calendar week (see her blog: "A typical ordinary day").

This calendar week was strange. I don't know why my babies have been resisting naps, which they otherwise enjoy. Our hateful solar daytime yesterday:

O woke upwards at 0700, which is much, much also early on for a momma who (now) rarely goes to bed before midnight as well as expects to wake upwards somewhere only about 0830/0900. Begrudgingly, I realized only about 0715 that his sporadic fussing was non going to cease as well as dragged myself to the java maker. After feeding O as well as D breakfast-- D was thus excited to come across Momma out of bed that early-- I did my devotional. D informed me that God likes "flat Bibles," equally he opened his Bible as well as smoothed it open. If that agency Bibles that are beingness read, I would direct maintain to agree. Around 0900, I realized C should in all probability come upwards bring together the balance of the world. After sneaking into his room as well as gently waking him, he rolled over as well as gave me a aspect that I tin exclusively line equally adolescent, "Why are you lot waking me at this hour??" Breakfast for the tired babe before off to play time...

Play fourth dimension didn't happen. C wanted to run after D, who did non desire his toys touched. O wanted all of C's toys; C desire O's toys; D wanted C's toys... circular as well as circular as well as round. Can I direct maintain one-year erstwhile twins as well as a three-year erstwhile to counseling to verbalise nearly the origin of their sharing issues? "Why practice you lot experience similar you lot don't desire your blood brother to force trucks alongside you?" "Well, it all started when I was only about 13-months. You see..."

All 3 boys felt that the best somebody to larn involved inwards a screaming blood bathroom was, of course, me. I had a one-year erstwhile hanging off my yoga pants. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 one-year erstwhile clinging to me similar a babe monkey. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 three-year erstwhile next behind as well as whining. And a sweet, dumb dog thinking this meant nosotros were going for a walk. ("Leash!? Walk!? Door!?" No, Louis, me walking only about the solid alongside all 3 boys hanging on me does not mean nosotros are going for a walk. Please halt barking as well as jumping inwards front end of me.) And so, at 1030, I felt naptime was the best solution. Off to bed alongside the one-year olds. To the couch alongside the three-year old. ("Do I larn to lookout a movie?" "No, D man, you lot practice not." "Can I lookout Hercules?" "Well, I gauge so. I similar Hercules." My three-year erstwhile has caught on to my weakness for Disney movies.)

Once inwards their cribs, practice I hear quiet from the moments agone wailing one-year olds? No. I hear peals of laughter. What. Are. They. Laughing. About. I desire to larn inwards as well as see, but, equally Momma, if I walk inwards there, that volition live the destination of whatever naptime that peradventure could direct maintain taken place. I read Ephesians instead. Perhaps Paul tin rouse the peace of the Lord inwards me. (Psalm 119:165, "Great peace direct maintain those who love your law, as well as nil tin brand them stumble.") I had previously written a spider web log concerning several of the verses inwards Ephesians titled "We tin piece of job it out." So I larn all pumped upwards again. I volition non exasperate my children. I volition lookout my words (much of chapter 4 as well as v are dedicated to our words-- extremely convicting for a bring upwards who is constantly talking, "Sit down. Do non hit. We practice non ride our brothers similar horses. We practice not throw books."). I create upwards one's hear to pass the fourth dimension the boys are "sleeping" to write. Which does non happen.

D sees me sit down downward as well as is at in 1 lawsuit intrigued. "What are you lot doing? Are you lot writing again? What are you lot writing? Can I write? Can I portion a chair alongside you? Can I portion your pen?" (Sharing is a really of import concept to a three-year erstwhile when they are the beneficiary of the sharing.) The one-year olds at nowadays realize that I am perhaps going to larn out them inwards at that topographic point are long equally they are non screaming. They remedy their province of affairs yesteryear screaming. Out of bed they go. At this point, I figure they are hungry, peculiarly O, who ate breakfast 2 hours before than normal. I should say, exclusively O was hungry because C shoved most of his sandwich downward his shirt (a hateful solar daytime later on as well as I recall he nevertheless has jam inwards his hair). Lunch at nowadays over, play fourth dimension commences...

Play fourth dimension didn't fall out (again). Screaming, wailing, non sharing, a certainly someone insisting everyone portion alongside him, a certainly Momma walking only about alongside 3 children hanging on her (again), a certainly domestic dog thinking it is fourth dimension for a walk (again). I think, Christ intercedes for us when nosotros brand the same mistakes over as well as over again. I'm going to direct the path of peace as well as demo them how to play together. Psalm 120:7 basically sums upwards how that went: "I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war."

O had a truck that he wanted to run to bang against my face. C wanted to swallow my hair. D didn't desire his brothers inwards my lap. Louis, the dog, of course, wanted us to larn for a walk, until C constitute a domestic dog toy--a squeaking hot dog-- to play with. Then Louis wanted the toy C was holding, which, of course, C did non desire to share. When both C as well as Louis were interested inwards this squeaking hot dog, D wanted the toy. "I desire the hot dog, please! Make him portion alongside me!" "D, he was playing alongside the hot dog. Thank you lot for using please, but that does non hateful you lot tin direct maintain the hot dog." With at nowadays the domestic dog as well as both his brothers vying for the same plastic, squeaking hot dog, O decided that he also wanted the hot dog. All of this took identify inwards my lap.

Nap fourth dimension (again). This fourth dimension the babies babbled as well as played as well as squealed alongside absolute delight for xx minutes before I knew 1 of them-- at least-- was asleep. Ten minutes later on at that topographic point was quiet from their lair. This left me as well as D. I had every intention of writing a few to a greater extent than pages. D had every intention to annoy me within an inch of my sanity.

D: "What are you lot doing, Momma?"

Me: "I'm writing, D man. Why don't you lot larn play alongside your trains?"

D: "Well, I desire to play alongside my trains, but I demand your pen."

Me: "You can't direct maintain my pen, bud. You demand to allow Momma write. Can you lot delight larn honor D human being things to do?"

D" "Well, I desire to honor things to do, but I don't desire to practice anything."

Silence from me. That disceptation doesn't fifty-fifty brand sense.

D: "I don't desire to practice anything. Hey, Momma, I don't desire to practice anything."

Me: "That's fine, D. Why don't you lot larn inwards the solid unit of measurement room as well as practice nil piece you lot lay on the couch?"

D: "Well, I don't desire to lay on the couch, okay? I don't desire to practice anything inwards here."

Me: "D, you lot demand to allow Momma work. I'm done talking."

D: "Okay, Momma. I'm done talking too. Okay? Hey, Momma, I'm done talking too. Momma?"

Me: "Yes, D. I hear you. Please allow me work. Thank you."

D meanders to the solid unit of measurement room where he peaks only about the corner every dyad minutes.

D: "Psst. Momma, I love you."

Me: "I love you lot too, D man. Please allow me work."

D: "Okay, Momma. I will. I love you lot more."

Me: "Thank you, D man. Now, delight allow me work."

Silence.

D: "Psst. Momma, I love you."

Me: "D man. I love you lot too. You demand to allow me work."

And as well as thus gauge what he finds? That hot dog. The plastic, squeaking hot dog. You know those domestic dog toys that allow out the really loud squeak equally the air goes out of them, alongside the quiet, raspy squeak equally the air goes dorsum into them? Yes. The hot domestic dog is 1 of those toys. At this point, I would rather direct maintain heard a pen click, click, click, click over as well as over in 1 lawsuit again similar that kid inwards high schoolhouse who used to practice that during essay exams.

SQUEAK....squeak.... SQUEAK...squeak.... SQUEAK....squeak.... SQUEAK...squeak....

Me: "D man. You direct maintain to halt that, please. I can't hear to that anymore."

D: "Okay, Momma. I'm only playing alongside the hot dog."

SQUEAK....squeak.... SQUEAK...squeak....

Me: "D man. What did I only say?"

D: "You said non to play alongside the hot dog."

Me: "So what should you lot live doing?"

D: "Not playing alongside the hot dog."

Me: "Why don't you lot play the piano?"

D: "Okay, Momma."

Silence.

D: "Momma, I don't desire to practice anything. Momma? I don't desire to practice anything."

It would live an understatement to say that D is non a "self-starter." Unless you lot are playing the game alongside him, or talking to him, or inwards the same room equally him, he is non really interested inwards playing the game. And so, I wrote alongside D human being sitting quietly inwards the chair adjacent to me, bespeak me something or rather every few minutes.

D, inwards a whisper, "Momma, how is your writing going?"

Me: "D, you lot are right hither alongside me interrupting. How practice you lot recall it is going?"

D: "Pretty good. God loves you lot as well as sent his son."

Me: "Yes, he did, bud. God loves you lot too."

D: "Yeah, God is pretty cool."

Me: "Yes, bud, he is. Why don't you lot read your Bible?"

D: "Yeah, but I don't desire to practice anything."

Me: "Okay, as well as thus how nearly you lot allow Momma work?"

D: "Okay."

And so, eventually, I couldn't focus as well as was only done writing. I unopen my notebook.

D: "Are you lot done working, Momma?"

Me: "Yes, I am."

D: "How was work, Momma? Did you lot larn a lot done?"

This is the minute when that facial tick I joke nearly shows its twitchy head. You know what you lot want to say as well as you lot know what you lot should say.

Me: "Yes, D man, I did. Did you lot larn whatever piece of job done?"

D: "Well, non really. But, I'm going to larn play now."

There it is. That tick again. Oh, the irony. I am really blessed inwards the fact that I tin honor much entertainment inwards irony. I had to laugh. And as well as thus he did-- he went as well as played. By himself. After all of that. I twiddled my thumbs for, say, iv minutes before I heard the banshee shriek. And as well as thus silence. I crept downward the hall. Are they awake? Is 1 of them awake? Silence. Still asleep. One in all probability woke upwards from a dream? I plow to creep dorsum to the kitchen exclusively to footstep on the human foot of a preschooler.

D: "Ow, Momma! Why did you lot footstep on me?"

No reply. Finger over the lips inwards the universal sign for "Shhh!" as well as a stern bespeak towards the kitchen. The balance of the afternoon was spent obsessively turning everything downward when I take in I heard a babe holler as well as tip-toeing only about the house. I banned D from flushing the privy because his brothers finally were taking a good, long nap. We seriously walked on tip-toes if nosotros had to larn downward the hallway. Eventually I told D I was going to larn modify my clothes, when I finally noticed the dried drool roofing my dark yoga pants (black is such a bad take in when you lot are staying domicile all hateful solar daytime alongside immature kids). D asked me why as well as I told him because Daddy was going to live domicile before long as well as I wanted to live inwards create clean clothes. When I walked dorsum into the solid unit of measurement room, D says, "Oh, Momma! You got ready! Daddy volition live thus happy!" At that minute I didn't know if I should give thank you lot him or experience ashamed that fifty-fifty my three-year erstwhile has noticed my recent obsession alongside yoga pants. I did both.

Today was nearly the same, except nosotros left the house. Yes, you lot read that correctly. We did larn out the house. (And-- bonus-- I showered today too!) So I tried the morning time nap approach piece I got ready because they were, again, exceptionally fussy after breakfast. It didn't fly. They giggled as well as squealed until I was dressed as well as ready. I got everything else ready to larn before going inwards to larn them dressed. They flung themselves only about their cribs, screaming alongside glee, happy to come across me.

I stopped at Chic-Fil-A before going to Target. The trouble for the drive-thru was seriously only about the building. I couldn't painting sitting inwards the line, thus I decided to commons as well as larn in. Then I couldn't painting getting my stroller out only to larn inwards to Chic-Fil-A for a to-go order, thus I decided to larn inwards sans stroller. Our starting fourth dimension walking-in adventure. The babies did great. I held O inwards my arms, held C's hand, as well as D held C's other hand. We worked equally a squad to elevator C downward as well as upwards over the curb. Then nosotros got inside. "Twins?!" "Are they twins?!" "God bless you!" "Look, honey, twins!" I ordered. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 adult woman kept coming over as well as offering the babies straws. I politely took them from her. Finally she realized that I wasn't giving the straws to my toddlers as well as started handing them straws. Really, what it comes downward to, is that getting out alongside babies is challenging, but the unforeseen challenges ever evidence to live the hardest. I told her that they cannot walk only about alongside plastic straws inwards their mouths. She looked at me similar I was crazy as well as both the boys started screaming because I took away a forbidden toy. And at that topographic point I was. Without my stroller alongside ii screaming toddlers, waiting for my guild to come upwards up. D ran to my rescue, "Momma! Do you lot demand a hand?" He entertained 1 of the babies piece I entertained the other. We grabbed our nutrient as well as got out of there. (Why did she experience the demand to give them straws? I volition never empathize that.) As nosotros were leaving, a adult woman asked if they were twins. I said yes. She said to her husband, "See? I told you! They are twins." It was only a foreign trip all around.

At Target, they ate their tiffin inwards the stroller. D ate some of his tiffin on the glider board, but was also excited to live at Target to focus on eating, "Momma! I love Target! Look at the Spiderman stuff!" The Target trip was precisely what you lot would await alongside ii one-year olds as well as a three-year old. Busy, but I managed. Dropped D off at his friend's house. Went to the wholesale store. Dun. Dun. Dun.

C as well as O did not desire to larn to the wholesale store. They didn't desire to sit down inwards the cart. They didn't desire up. They wanted to sleep. They wanted to throw things out of my cart. They wanted to force on each other's clothes. And, of course, this is the fourth dimension that everyone noticed that I had twins alongside me. (Maybe because they could hear us coming from 3 aisles away?) The 1 trouble to live checked out yesteryear an employee was ridiculously long. I debated abandoning my cart as well as leaving, but felt also guilty to practice that. So I jumped on a self-check out as well as made it work. They screamed, wailed, as well as flailed, then pathetically grabbed the cart direct maintain as well as wept. I rushed. I did abandon equally many non-perishables equally I could. I used my card, fifty-fifty though I had cash (have you lot fed those self-check outs cash before?!). And nosotros rushed home. Only for the babies to crumple into a weeping heap inwards my solid unit of measurement room. Changed diapers. Laid them downward for a belatedly nap. And-- gauge what-- I could hear the giggles as well as squealing equally before long equally I closed the door. I don't recall they napped at all.

So, at nowadays I'm going to larn start out them, give them dinner, as well as and thus play time... Hopefully play fourth dimension happens.

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