deaf-con 5

I've gotta make this quick since all three of my kids are upstairs screamingly announcing that nap time is over. But since I am in denial of that fact (and since reality is that they'll scream the same whether upstairs or down,) I'm going to keep them upstairs just a few minutes longer.

The fact is, these days my house is LOUD. I know that most homes that house young children have the potential to be noisy, but I'm talking we're the loud kind of home that you visit and as you approach your car you think, "Geez, I'm glad I don't live THERE." We may have also recently become the home that you would talk about once you were safely in your car with the doors and windows closed, "Geez, why don't Steve and E do *something* about all that racket?!!" I'm just saying, I may have--in the past--, said such things (not about any of you reading this, I'm sure.)

Truth be told, I get in my car (our out of it, depending on what the case may be) wondering the same thing about us. I've had some recent *out of body* experiences where I've practically heard and seen myself repeating one of my kids names over and over and with each repetition, the name getting louder. I know this is just bad parenting, but honestly, I don't have the energy nor the gumption to walk across the room half the time and give the situation/child the proper attention/discipline. I'm really just a Super Nanny episode waiting to happen. And the even sadder part is, I'm aware of it. Its just kind of like a train wreck that I can't seem to stop in time.

Its so bad, in fact, that Steve and I argue over who gets to clear the table and do the dishes after dinner. (Because then that person doesn't have to entertain the post-dinner extra rambunctious crew in the other room.) Last night we went back and forth over who got to do the dishes and finally Steve "won" by saying, "You go to the other room, Quinn always follows you! Then I can get these done even faster." So I huffed and puffed my way out of the kitchen. And you know what???

NOBODY FOLLOWED ME! Ha. I got an extra, unexpected and unearned 20 minutes to play on the computer. And I didn't even feel guilty. I did my part, I walked out and the fact that no one followed me was just a little bonus; God smiling down of me, if you will. Oh, and I WILL! Thank you very much.