Monday, September 24, 2007

Everyone needs a blankie sometimes

Today did not start well. I woke up with a headache and an upset stomach on top of the usual PMS. I came downstairs with the children to start our day. Almost immediately, they were fighting over their breakfast, throwing toys, yelling...I have good kids, but today was rough. I took them to the Y, the plan being that they would go to the babysitting room for a bit while I worked out, and then I'd take them swimming.

I should have turned around and gone home when they told me that they didn't have me in the babysitting schedule, despite my calling for a reservation. But they made room for me. Then both girls started screaming at the top of their lungs. The Y gives you 15 minutes before they come to get you to tell you to come get your child. One stopped crying within a few minutes, but the other held out the entire 15 minutes. Then she said Mommy Mommy Mommy until about 3 minutes before I got there (according to the staff.) They made it pretty plain that they would prefer she not return. (Ya don't say?)

So I grab our stuff and take the girls to the changing room. While I'm trying to change one, the other one is taking the pool noodle and trying to poke the ceiling tiles out. She's nothing if not creative, no? Then while I'm changing her, the other one is putting her lips on the drain on the floor, shouting "HELLLOOOOO!"

I finally got them dressed and we walked into the pool area....to find that the schedule was wrong, and there WAS in fact a class in there. No open lanes. So I have to take the kids back in the changing room (this time I sat on the noodles and put my foot on the drain -- just call me a contortionist) and get them (and myself) redressed to leave. They were whining "we want to go simming!" (No, that's not a typo. They are 3.)

We got out to the car, and I put them in the minivan, and as I'm sitting in my seat, trying to get myself ready to go, they started screaming at each other as to whether a particular aspect of "Finding Nemo" were funny or not.

It was then that I lost it. I sat in my minivan in the YMCA parking lot, and I sobbed. I looked quite attractive, with mascara running down my cheeks (should have put on the waterproof stuff). I managed to get it together to get home, and I started again as soon as we got in the house. I felt like the suckiest mother ever.

It was then that the drain kisser came over, and put her hand on my arm. "Mommy? You ok?"

I shook my head, and said, "Mommy is just feeling sad today."

"Mommy? You want my yellow baba?" (That's her blankie.)

So there we sat, the three of us on the sofa, with one child stroking my hair, and the other one rubbing her yellow baba on my cheek.

Of course, the moment was over about five minutes later, as one was jumping up and down in the arm chair, screaming "NEMO! NEMO!" and the other was running around the room, half naked.

I think I need my own baba.

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