Stubborn Dumb and Tired

With how things panned out yesterday the title should probably read 'tired' first, then 'dumb' and lastly 'stubborn.' Now that I've got your attention--maybe not--let me just say how completely I endorse energy drinks for any parents out there. And now I'm wondering why I don't have a years supply of them.

So let's start with Tired. Since that's how our day started--meaning Pedro's and my day. I don't think my kids are ever tired. For some odd reason we just couldn't get ourselves going. Pedro fell asleep on the couch and I lounged in my bed watching a chick flick while ignoring my kids and trying not to think about the potential for disaster when my kids are left unsupervised. Which leads us to the next part.

Dumb. Dumb. Dumb! Annaleise came to me while I was trying to forget about my responsibilities. She was utterly bored. She wanted to cut paper. This is when the warning light went off in my head. I shouldn't give her scissors. She cuts more than paper with scissors. She cuts clothes, she cuts blankets, she cuts toys, she cuts her hair. Ah well, I thought. It's been so long since she's done anything like that, she's older now...come on she's in preschool! And so the justifications and denial ensued. Ignore the warning light. Sure have some scissors, just be good and let me watch my movie and be lazy.

Stubborn. I just don't want to acknowledge that I've done a very dumb thing. Come on, there's only 20 minutes left to my movie...she can be good for 20 minutes. Pedro will wake up if anything big happens. Hmm. I watch my movie and a new sensation falls over me. It's QUIET. Five more minutes...she can't do a lot of harm in 5 minutes. Movie ends. Okay, now I'll go check on her. (Insert your preference of scary music here). I find her locked in her room with all sorts of different colored hair on the floor. Most of all I notice that she has no hair in front. My child did a hack job on her bangs--again. Sigh. I recognized the other casualties immediately: a my little pony and a troll doll. No biggie. She can have bald toys if she wants. It took me longer to see the other casualty. Eric. Uh-huh. My boy has a buzz type of cut around the crown of his head. Poor kid looks pathetic from the back. Luckily it's bad enough that most people should know a mom couldn't possibly do that to her own kid. And he's still cute enough from the front that really, it's not a big deal. I'd post pictures but uh...cough...um...

Tired, Dumb and Stubborn all over again. My kids went outside to play happily. In the backyard. They never go in the backyard happily when there's a park right out the front door. I was just so happy that they were outside and busy and not bugging me. I heard Leise playing with the hose. Eric crying. Hmm, she must have sprayed him with the hose. Hmm, I'll check on him in a few more minutes. Few minutes later I look at the window and see something shiny dangling from his left hand. Stomach tightens. Closer look. Crap. It's electronic. Run outside. More stomach twistage. It's our camera. The one we just bought 1 month ago. Grabbed the camera, ran inside. Tried to use it. Nada. Pedro then pulled out his tools and the hairdryer. He took it mostly apart and tried to dry the inside of it. It was wet enough that we think Eric submerged it in his water table. Sigh. So, have we learned our lesson? Apparently not--we still don't have the necessary amount of caffeine needed to get through a day in our house readily available. But maybe, just maybe this time, it will sink in a little deeper. Do not ever leave children alone.