Let Them Eat Cake!

My children are loud, messy, and completely rotten...  I couldn't love them more.

 

but.....

 

It is so easy as a mother to get caught up in life.  I come home and the house is a wreck, the kids are SO LOUD, and dinner, well, who knows what is going on with dinner.  I'd give anything just to curl up on the couch and lay there in silence. 

Instead, I walk in the door, take a deep breath, and begin phase two of my day.  While the kids shove paper after paper from school in front of my face, I comment on how wonderful each and every one of them are, while piling dishes in the dishwasher to make room to cook.  I answer questions about homework while stirring the pot, and on a good day manage not to burn it's contents.  Of course, in the morning I will get a call from someone at the school informing me that I did not send the proper paperwork back, because, lets face it.. I did not actually read through every one of those wonderful papers.  Luckily, I have a fantastic husband that will hop in the car and bring them whatever they need.

After the kids have gone to sleep.. and I phrase it that way because the battle is not over once they have "gone to bed."  But, ahhh.... once they have gone to sleep and the house is quite, still a wreck, but quite.  I can actually reflect on my day.  Then the guilt sets in.. every  "Shhhhh!!!!"  "Not right now!"  "No"  and "Mommy's tired"  come back to me, and I can't help but wish I had let them be a little louder or have a little of the cake they wanted.  After all, they have been perfect little students all day.  I should probably try and let them be ornery little monsters for a little while.  Tomorrow's goal: Let the kids be kids for a while.  I'd say 5 minutes should be sufficient.