Tues p.m:
10:45: we talk and say good night. LOVED talking, where I told you that Tobin playfully threw his cupcake to Caleb across the table because he didn't want it. I made him call J and apologize.
11:00 maybe I was asleep
12:00 a.m. a noise wakes me up
1:00 Tobin has to pee
1:40 Gabrielle has to cry until she get what she wants, which at this point I give her so I can have quiet.
And then the morning started on Weds., started with more 'contrariness' from T, weariness from me, and a little bickering from the three girls. (four, including me) and I will just include G in that because she can be serious fussy-pants, all cute doll that she is.
Sophia quickly lost the privilege of playing with friends (until you start treating family members better), but to her credit, she accepted the discipline well...and throughout the day there were times when outside she did actually play with friends simply because we were in the same spot, but there were times where she could have and I said "no, sorry", but YY brought her a note at the end of the day and a picture to color. So sweet.
We went outside, all four, to do PE (crazy, I know, I instructed while walking with G). I had soccer balls and real skill practice in mind. But discovered that almost every one of our back yard play tools/bowls/play shower curtains, etc. were on the common steps in the common area. I said:
"Oh my, I am a horrible mom, didn't know our back yard was over here.....everyone let's clean it up before we start" and they did (no complaints, wow).
Except, when pouring out the big bowl of filthy water Bella spilled it all over her. Inside to change. She came back out and they did great dribbling the ball up and back and keeping it close to them. Until it got away from Bella, she slipped and fell in a mudslick on the pavement and the ball went into the big pond. Inside to change clothes again. Sophia gets a huge bamboo stick. I fish out the ball.
YY, Chen Chen and her dad come out. Sophia stays out for a bit but I make her go in and do work, no complaint (wow, I am pointing out these graces because later we get into it well).
Bella had come out with Sophia's jeans on, so when we all went inside for lunch I made her change again (are you keeping count?)
(FYI, YY's dad says they are working on, and this year it will happen, flights from MS to Thailand, Myanmar, and one other country)
On our way inside Tobin threw a rock at the girls window. Really? He wasn't angry, it was completely playful. And Bella rose to his defense: "J throws rocks at windows."
"oh really, he throws rocks at his windows?"
"No, he throws rocks at our windows"
While in the bathroom waiting for discipline, I arrive and Tobin says, 'mama, where is your toothbrush?"
This was his form of confession.
He had shoved it all the way down the drain. I could see the tip of it barely. I had just opened it, it was brand new. I really liked it. I fished it out with scissors and moved on.
Later in the day, he drew on the walls with a red pencil and was quite rude to Ayi, when she asked him to pick up his toys. After his discipline for that, I dumped his toys back all over the living room floor and made him pick them up.
In all of this it was not Tobin that I lost my temper with. Not once. He is playful, not mean.
The 7 year-old, on the other hand....over fuzz, started pushing my buttons. Love her though, and she has had an incredible 7 days prior, and actually has shown serious remorse and repentance. Plus, I got in the ring with her. Instead of acting like the mom, I acted like, well, lets face it, a child.
Mid day, I went on a run (this helps my soul, as you well know), and then I took S and B with me on a bike ride, we stopped at the swings, YY joined us, and it was sunshiny so we stayed there almost 30 minutes. I sat on a big rock in the sun, and rested while they played.
So, we did indeed regroup after that and made our way into dinner time, baths and a half of a video, we all needed it.
Two full days until your return, and my Psalm reading for the day was Ps 23. I just read and reread it. I am in no dark valley. I am on the mountaintops of mother hood. all about perspective, where I slip into that valley throughout the day and my shepherd is there. I lack nothing.
Baby G is in her bed now saying: 'woowwww' and many other words. Time to get her up. Though we met together last night at about 4 a.m.
