Bad Mom

Some of you may recall that we began the process of pulling out the carpets upstairs in the kids' rooms a few months ago. Dirty, old, nasty carpets. Got one room complete in a weekend and Munchkin Boy has sort of been living in limbo since them. He's been patiently waiting for us to tackle his room -- remove the carpets, clean the floors, paint! His room has been this sickly shade of lavender pink from the previous owners. Blech. His chosen color is blue! We've had paint cans for months, but finding a period of time free of other activities where mom (ME!) also has the gumption to tackle the project has been difficult.

Anyway, the kids helped me decide that this was the week. We spent Wednesday moving all of Munchkin Boy's furniture and belongings to his sisters' room. Then we pulled up carpets -- only 2 layers in this room -- and cleaned the floors. Ugh.

My oldest has been invaluable. Well, they all have. But she's the one who held my hand through the sander rental and helped me heft the darned thing out of the car and up the stairs. Both girls spent quite a bit of time running it this time. Then we carried it back down the stairs and back to the store in order to stay in the "under 3 hours" rental period to save us money.

I was so tired Wednesday night that I could hardly stand. In fact, I didn't. I was in bed by 8 o'clock. Today we painted the walls and ceiling. Didn't get to the floors, mainly because I was simply being one big cranky mom critter. I hardly recognized myself by the time we were done. Yelling. Grousing. Cussing the walls of this house and all the dirt that lies beneath them.

Bad energy. I was full of it.

When we finished with the walls, I asked the kids if we should try to get one coat of paint on the floor. Loudly, in unison, they declared, "NO!"

So I soaked in a hot tub to rid myself of some of my toxins (I hope), and I napped from 6 to 9pm. Completing the project has been put on hold till Saturday or Sunday. I know Munchkin Boy is eager to move his stuff back in and get settled, but I don't think he enjoys living with this bad mom any more than I do.

Some days, try as we might, we simply disappoint ourselves.

At least I know I'm raising kids who have learned to tell it like it is. When the hubby got home and expressed awe at all we had accomplished for the second day in a row, Munchkin #1 nodded her head in agreement, and then proceded to tell him what a *itch I had been. She then shot me the biggest grin and I couldn't help but grin in return. And a bit later when I was sitting at the kitchen table and she started grousing at her sister, I said, "See! That's just what I sounded like all day long. She's doing a great imitation."

Everybody laughed.