Wake up at 6:25 a.m. to my son telling me he’s “scared,” AKA ready to get up. Nudge his daddy to spring into action.
Alarm goes off at 6:45. Go for a run. Realize I don’t feel very good. Walk home.
Make toast for the kids and me. Appreciate that Annabeth can feed herself.
Have “quiet” time. Hide in dining room for a few minutes to pray.
Kiss Curtis goodbye. Thankful that Jackson doesn’t cry today.
Repeatedly send Jackson in the backyard to play. He’s operating at a 10 out of 10.
Put Annabeth down for a nap. Try to keep the house quiet.
Realize I either forgot to moderate blog comments yesterday or a bunch just suddenly appeared in the moderating queue. Yikes.
Comments from last summer and fall keep showing back up. Weird.
Annabeth wakes up happy.
Get the urge for Papa John’s pizza. Order the $10 large, any toppings pizza.
Twenty minutes later it shows up.
Drop the pizza and watch Canadian bacon and pineapple spill all over the entry way and splatter on the delivery man.
Despite my protests, he generously leaves to get us another one.
Sit on the couch and wonder if that really happened. Embarrassed. Frustrated.
Yell at Jackson for climbing on me. Receive imaginary bad mom of the day award. Apologize to my boy.
New pizza arrives. Give a good tip.
Jackson says, “I want to share with my pizza. With Annabeth. That’s what Jesus likes.”
Wonder if that’s a ploy not to have to eat. He eats all his pizza. He meant it. Sweet boy.
Encourage Annabeth to walk toward Jackson. She claps her hands, calls him “Dat dat” for the first time, and takes a few steps toward her brother.
Heart is happy.
Kids get a bath. In the chaos afterward, Annabeth dumps out the wipes. Towel falls into the water. Jackson sucks toothpaste out of tube.
Annabeth takes 9 steps toward her brother. A new record.
She hits her mouth on her rocking chair. Cries.
Naptime #2.
Try to read Where the Wild Things Are to Jackson before his rest time. He says it’s too long. Not gonna argue with that. Pick a shorter book.
Bribe him with candy if he’ll sleep today. Probably should be ashamed but I’m desperate for the stillness.
Quiet now.
And all is well in the Jones home.
Christine 
ditto, except for the pizza. 🙂 Hang in there Mama!
mamma said there would be days like this……this mamma has them too
Amanda!
Your post brought smiles, nods of my head and tremendous understanding. Thanks for sharing. It comforts the rest of us in the season of life with little nuggets! I have 2 boys who are 3 and 5. The adventures keep coming and advancing. Hope your quiet time is long enough for you to recharge. Keep sharing your blessings! Susan from Minnesota
I stayed home with each of my three kids…and have so many memories of days just like those. I know your mom has told you to treasure each and everyday…even ones like today. My oldest just got his license last week, my little girl with bows in her hair will be 13 in two months and my baby was 10 this past August. The days go by too quickly. Thanks for putting a smile on my face today.
WOW, all that before noon? Yikes. Your son gets up a lot earlier than mine. I hope he goes to bed earlier, too – for your sake. 12 or 13 hours a day with mine is enough. I love him to pieces, but by bedtime I am ready for a little space!
Sorry about your pizza and glad that your delivery guy was so gracious. Have a great afternoon!
condense most of those child moments into 2 hours (my 2 hours comes after I get home from work) and we are living a VERY similar life!
my 4yo is starting to not want to be alone at all because he is "scared". I am really praying this a phase.
Joy comes in the morning:) You are doing great! Hang in there. I think I read it on Kelly's Korner, the days are long but the years are short. Chin up mama, chin up.
I'm so impressed that you even have the energy to blog this. =) I usually go to my own bed after a crazy morning if I can get all 3 kids down. I have a 5, 3, and 18 month old and I have to say that I now can appreciate those crazy days much more because I'm getting back to being myself. God bless!
Oh Momma. And people say this staying at home thing is boring. My heart is with you as my babies rest right now too, and I'm praying that we all can have an easy breezy afternoon! (and I promise promise promise you do not deserve the bad mom of the day award!)
What a delightful day! (except for the pizza)
I needed the chuckle and the smile today! BIG TIME!
You dear girl! Having been a nanny to hoards of kids for 10 years, but never a mother myself I still think I can relate just a little bit. In fact, I'm having a day like that one myself. Lots of highs, lots of lows and the day is dragging.
Keep your chin up. We all have our off days, and this too shall pass.
Enjoy the little things and get lots of rest tonight.
Thanks for sharing your life and making me smile 🙂 It's VERY appreciated.
Blessings
So nice to know I'm not the only with days like that! Only difference is I have 2 boys, one is 16 and one is 4 . . .I never knew that a 16 year old and 4 year old could be so similar in temperaments, attitudes, independence, etc. Most days I just laugh because it's all I have the energy to do! Hang in there!
This expecting mother LOVES this post! I appreciate your honesty and transparency in the struggles of your morning. Hope the afternoon is quiet and relaxed!!
Amanda, you rock. Just think you should know.
This ministered to me more than anything all day – including the Bible study I "led" today. Thank you!
Your day reminds me of a Baby Blues comic that I had hanging on my fridge for awhile. The mom misses baby when she's sleeping and misses quiet when she's awake.
Our lives are a mix of that, aren't they? The good with the bad. The sharing and precious baby steps with the mess and grumpiness (and bad mommy awards — I deserve those some days for sure!).
Hope your quiet time refreshes you. 🙂
Hey Amanda,
I worked in the kitchen for a summer daycare program. One day, I was carrying the tray for the two-yr-olds – baked potatoes, carefully peeled and quartered with all the amenities. Yep, dropped the whole thing. Pieces of potato, butter, salt, pepper and artificially-flavored bacon bits all over the floor.
The teacher just looked at me and said, "I can't believe you did that!" I'll spare you the comments of the cook who had to peel and quarter more baked potatoes.
I hope you have a good rest of the day!
Anne
What's up with boys eating toothpaste?
What's up with boys eating toothpaste?
Oh, life in the "mommy lane" I remember those days, except where I live there is no pizza delivery 🙂 only UPS or FEDEX!! Haven't had the grandbabies over in a few days and miss them a lot… now I miss them even more!! {hugs}
I had to laugh "with you" at the bath-time fiasco. How is it that so much can happen in such a short timespan? I've never been able to figure it out! I read a quote somewhere that said, "If evolution really works, then why do mothers have only two hands?" Oh to have 3 or 4 hands sure would make our lives easier!
I'm so glad you don't take yourself too seriously and can share about a day full of ups and downs! Thank you!
Oh man, it's one thing after another, isn't it? I poured a can of mandarin oranges directly in the garbage can this morning while I was trying to get breakfast together, start our crockpot dinner, dress everybody like cowboys for preschool, and answer my daughter's question. I'm not sure what I thought I was doing with the oranges – they were supposed to go in the crockpot. Sigh. But it's naptime now and I'm enjoying the quiet.
oh the joys of mommy hood! yeah…I think you summed up the average morning for moms everywhere! WOW! That should have been recorded for your hubby….you deserve a foot rub tonight…and don't feel bad for asking. Keep smiling and sharing, makes us other moms feel pretty normal. p.s. you're still up for mom of the year!
1. what a hoot! been there done that.. only 2 little boys. my last evening had it's own disasters… but feel drained non the less. take off the imaginary bad mom guilt badge and replace it with a great big way to go mom of little ones pretty ribbon.. you're doing a great job… it's just an exhausting one.
2. the papa john's pizza made my mouth water.. i'm an hour away from the nearest one and i sure do miss it. so i'm eating an apple LOL
3. a friend of mine showed me an awesome biblically based discipline book. we did a study on it together and learned so much. it's the best. "Don't Make Me Count to Three" by Ginger Plowman. in no way am i saying you're a bad mom.. i just loved the book so much i tell everyone about it. wish i had read it when my oldest was younger… i made a lot of mistakes.
rest when they do
That's the way I remember it to be during those young years. Chin up girly. You will miss these days. I promise!
That made me smile! I know sometimes the days are long when they are little, but enjoy it. Mine are 20, 18, 15, and 10 now. It gets much easier and it goes so fast! God bless you.
Your doing good! Nobody said it was easy. I think the majority of us have been there. Such is life, my friend. You can do it!
My children are out of the house, 2 in college, 2 married, 1 living on her own. My house is quiet. My heart yearns for pizza on the floor, moments of strained nerves and mentally counting freshly bathed children in their beds as my exhausted body falls into bed.
Keep loving your life…..the rewards are great:)
I took advantage of the same pizza deal. Oh the joy to not have to cook!! Appears that the "normal" mom day is going around. I'm not sure if I'll "miss" these days, but I sure will look back on them as funny and with fond memories. It's weird when the youngest at home is 4, not the oldest.
Ah, the days of grace…
I love that you ordered Canadian bacon and pineapple. I love that kind the best.
I just got off the phone with my daughter…….your days are very similar….:) I think I will send it to her…..it will make her feel better to not be alone!
Thanks for your honesty……when we are going through days like this, we feel like we are the only ones, whether it is with a toddler or a teenager.
May God bless you with presence!
Ah, the ups and downs of motherhood… By the way, I'd take the candy bribe, too 🙂
Your poor lil momma, I hope your day gets better. Love you sister
Been there and done that!!! Don't let anyone ever tell you that being a Mom is not hard work – it's the hardest and takes the most organization and patience of any job I can imagine. My kids are now 22 and 21 (they were 14 months apart). Let me tell you something that should make you smile: They do grow up into responsible young adults one day (keep pulling out this note off and on for the next 20 years) and they do ADORE their Mom for what she gave them – herself.
oops that should have said you poor lil momma, lol
*nods and knowing smiles of sympathy*… you have a great pizza delivery guy!!
well, i hope you feel better (since you didn't feel well during your run) and i hope your afternoons is filled with laughter and strength. i'm amazing at how much you get done before noon!
This grandma has been there done that!! Hang in there:o)!!
Amanda,
thanks for sharing Hang in there sweet Mama!!! I have twins who are 13 now but I still appreciate when we have days like that. I think every once in a while we need a day like that.
Blessings dear
WOW. That makes me tired.
You know, when I start to feel sorry for myself because I've always wanted to be a wife/mother/SAHM and I'm none of those–then I read posts like this and realize that I don't have the energy to be any of the things I've dreamed of being!! So perhaps the Almighty Sovereign God of ours does know what He's doing (of course He does, I'm just saying sometimes it makes more sense to me than others!)
All that to say is thanks for the reminder that the "grass is not always greener". Hang in there. Daddy should be home soon!
That sounds like a Starbucks drive thru & order out dinner kind of day to me girlfriend! The sad part is that you will truly miss it when they are in school and this precious time of them being home with you is over! My twin boys just turned 7 and are in 1st Grade…I miss them being home and will take any time when they are home now…even sick!
Hug your babies tight!
Love,
Donna (The mom of twin boys)
I know that it sounds cliche but take it all in. It will be over before you know it. They do grow up so fast.
Your honesty makes me smile, and your scenario is all too familiar. Thanks for sharing a little slice of your life!
Whew! I know your morning ALL to well! My 4 kids are 16 months – 6 years. You just described the life of a stay-at-home mom. It's not glamorous but definitely worth it!
sucking toothpaste out of a tube?! that's a new one…but trust me, everyone has those days. 🙂 Sounds like you have bundles of joy-no, really..joy 🙂
Oh girl. I want to hug you!!! I remember telling stories like the one you just did. Friends and family would say, "It goes so quick". I wanted to slap them!!! It seemed like I would never have another diaper free day in my life.
Now my oldest is 14. He has those "lovely" teenage moments. (and I secretly miss the days you are in now.) It's crazy huh?
Please don't slap me, but it does go much too quickly. If I lived near you, I would send you to the spa and babysit. 🙂
And who says stay-at-home moms don't work???
Hey Amanda! I was at the dentist all morning but I'd rather be having pizza with you and your sweeties! Thanks for sharing your day.
So glad that I am not alone. My girls are 4 and 10 months. We have many days just like this!
HAHA! I am so right there with you. Except for spilling pizza…and the run.
As I type, my one-year-old is down for nap two, my three-year-old just feel asleep for a late afternoon nap (which I will greatly regret later), and my littlest one is kicking away inside.
And no bad mom awards allowed, though there's nothing like motherhood to bring out the flesh. Some days I think, "Did that really come out of my mouth? Did I really say that to my precious three year old?" Thank you, Jesus, for not leaving us to ourselves!
Hope you have a restful nap time, have some space for an extra cup of coffee or breath of fresh air.