Day Twenty-six: Running Low Day
If this were a mom-o-meter fuel gauge, my feet would be on E for empty. I should have composed the shot in such a way that my feet were tilted to the right but I wasn’t thinking of the “E for empty” when I shot this. It was morning and I was chipper and ready for the day.
Sadly, today kicked my butt.
I want to blame it on Baby Bug because she has been particularly challenging today. Let’s see, could it be any of the following?
1. yelling whenever I am talking
2. not eating the healthy food that is put before her
3. throwing the healthy food on the floor
4. the hour-and-a-half battle over what time is “nap time”
5. the endless whining and hanging on the pantry door asking for “trick or treats”
6. the very rough rough-housing that landed me with a thick lip
7. the sudden aversion to having her hair washed
… or all of the above?
I have a feeling it isn’t her. She’s just being a nearly-two-year-old. She reminds me of a kitten. You know how kittens look so cute and you just want to cuddle them up to your face but they are all full of claws and teeth and you end up getting your hand chewed up and covered with scratches? That’s Baby Bug these days. Just too much energy for her little cute body. And definitely too much energy for this tired old hag of a mom.
I think normally I’m pretty good at handling this sort of stuff. I’ve babysat plenty of kids who are way more rambunctious than she is. I think today I’m just sort of running low on fuel in general. I don’t know why or how long I’ll feel like this.
It could be the let down from several days of jam-packed fun. It could be I’m feeling fat and ugly from eating apple pie every day. (Why won’t someone else in this house eat the pie!!!) It could be that I’m sick of taking pictures of my shoes every day. It could be that I’m just bummed that I can’t make my alphabet cards at a price point that I think will make everyone happy. I don’t know. I think I just need to post a downer post. I’ll feel better soon.
I always do.
27 Comments
andrea
I always feel a bit of a letdown after a long action packed weekend and having a trying toddler on your hands only ads to it. We’re beginning the true toddler time around here and it certainly is trying on the patience.
You need to charge enough for your adorable cards to make it worth your while. I promise that your loyal followers will pay any price (well almost) to have a full set.
Hope tomorrow is a bit better!
bethany actually
Toddlers sap everyone’s energy. And you may have babysat for rambunctious kids before, but that was when they were not your kids. You could pull out all the stops with them because you knew that at the end of your day you were going to hand them back to their parents and then go about your merry, childless business.
I love Annalie fiercely and cannot believe how much she blesses our lives, but being a mom is HARD. It even means getting yelled at and beat up by your boss sometimes.
Repeat to yourself: it’s only a season. :-)
Angella
Aw, Brenda.
xoxoxoxo
Amanda Brown
I was having a blah day like this yesterday. I had eaten half a dozen cupcakes over the weekend (how I wish I were exaggerating) and was feeling like a grumpy, schlumpy loser. Not just because of the cupcakes, but they weren’t helping.
Feel better soon.
Kuky
I have days like that. For me it’s usually when I try to do too much and then don’t get enough sleep. In fact, I had one of those days yesterday. My running low light must have been going because I was GRUMPY. I was much better after a nap.
And hee hee that’s what I’m thinking about the apple pie here. I only made one but it seems to be lasting forever. Why won’t someone else eat it?!!??
Annika
I don’t think kids tend to be as defiant to their babysitters. I know it is way, way harder being a mom than it was babysitting or even being a full-time nanny. There is just something about the toddler being your own.
Hang in there! Maybe next week we can get together for coffee and let our toddlers run off some of their endless energy on the beach.
Michelle
Hang in there, Brenda! The two’s shall pass, dear heart :o) You bet we were at the head of the class where babysitting was concerned – run around back yard with cute kids, eat all of the food, drink all of the Diet Coke, put kids to bed, watch Saturday Night Live, eat some more, the mom and dad come home, pay you 25 bucks, you go out the next day to the pool kid free and 25.00 richer ;o) Ah, the good ole’ days….
You are an amazing…no AMAZING mommy! It’s okay to feel frustrated and running on empty….if you didnt feel that way, I would be whole-heartedly convinced you were on Meth – lol :o) So, stay Meth-free, and know that you are DA BOMB!
Hugs,
Michelle
familymclean
I hear ya, I’m right there with you.
Spandrel Studios
There are days that will wipe you out, but hopefully BB will wake up in the morning in a better mood, and you’ll have renewed energy to face the day and whatever it brings! You’ll figure it out… and BB will wriggle through the two’s and figure things out, too.
As for your cards, I hope you charge what they’re worth – your artwork is really lovely and people will still buy them.
erika
those days smack all of us in the face from time to time. i know you’ll get through it, just like you said.
pricing your work has got to be the hardest thing ever. just letting you know you are not alone, it sucks.
Jen
Oh, SAJ. I know that everyone who has even glanced at this blog can see what an incredible mom you are to BB. Even the best can get down sometimes, so don’t beat yourself up about it. Tomorrow’s a new day; everything will look better soon.
BeachMama
We all need a let down day. And yours are just so honest and photogenic.
I can only offer a few words from my files… The yelling when you talk. Never stops. NEVER. The fighting over healthy food vs. trick or treats. Never stops. NEVER. The battle over nap time. Never stops. NEVER. My only advice is, if you can’t beat ’em join ’em. That is what worked for me. I now talk louder than ever, J eats somewhat healthy and knows his candy limits, and he gave up naps when I stopped fighting him for it. It was much easier once I accepted that he wasn’t going to nap anymore and he was only 18 months old.
I hope it all works out, maybe a trip to Starbucks for a cup of cheer will make things right. Or just a god nights sleep. Hope today is better than yesterday.
deeleea
Hmmmm
Not enough hugs?
No kind words?
Not enough time with your special one?
No new gifts to make you feel special?
Have you forgotten how long it’s been since someone did something for you instead of the other way around?
It’s that last one that usually sees my tank low. Hope you find out what you need and can get it and get topped up soon.
Ines
I hope you will consider making an alphabet poster… I would love to have something like that for my son… hoping you feel better soon.
JennyC.No3
Feel better soon!
Katie
Asking for “trick or treats” is adorable, yet I’m sure it’s exhausting after the 100th time! Happy Tuesday :)
DeeJay
I think maybe you just need to go play out here > http://svt.se/hogafflahage/hogafflaHage_site/Kor/hestekor.swf
bluejaye
I remember days of sitting on the back steps crying as children ran gleefully around the back yard. None of us think we can do it…and then we do, because who else will and we have to.
SmocknMama
Just wait until she is 12 and “trick or treats” is not what she is yelling at you. Not that my 12 year old ever yells at me or anything. You know, just saying.
Mrs. Wilson
I’m sorry you’re feeling down! I hate those days that kick your butt. It’s funny how all the little things pile up and then explode. Don’t be afraid to cry. Crying makes everything better. It really does. So does a nap. A peaceful childless nap.
Victoria
*hugs*
jenn
we all have days like this. we all deserve days like this. being a mom is hard work..seriously, nobody can actually think we are happy all of the time! some days, you gotta know when they have gotten the best of you, and be ok with that.
hope you feel better soon!
She Likes Purple
Gosh, I’m glad you wrote this. Because WE ALL need to have a downer post without worrying what sort of comments it’ll bring… we don’t always need sympathy or advice (ugh, rarely do we need this, right?). We just need to BE DOWN. You’re right, it always passes. But you gotta own it first.
justJENN
It’s different when it’s your own kid. The tolerance level seems to go DOWN. At least for me anyway.
OMSH
It could just be one of those days.
I had one too.
Sending lots of these ooooooooooooooooo
and a few of these xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Put’em together and you have this: xoxoxoxoxoxoxox
And just remember…your Mac is not doing weird things with font, nor is it missing the letter ‘n’. See, there is a silver lining.
smoooooooooch
Jennifer
Sorry I’m late in commenting. I’ve been dealing with lots of terrible two stuff over here also. I just got my own kid figured out and almost whine free when the little girl I watch is heading straight into the core of terrible two. I’ve had so many On Empty days, whew I can relate. My neck stiffened for a week because the whining was causing me to wince all day.
What is the deal with hating the hair washing? Audrey has been so afraid of baths for the past month or so. Last night I had to wash her hair and I honestly thought she was going to pass out she was shaking and crying so hard.
Ellen W
I’ve been having one of those days as well with my son who will be 2 in two weeks. Today he was supposed to get his 2 yrs pictures taken but we had to reschedule due to his lack of cooperation. Parenting is the hardest job I’ve ever had.