13 February 2008

The Roller Coaster of Life

Also known as: How to Have a Crappy Evening After a Good Morning

Get up at 6:00 a.m. to shovel a few inches of wet snow while a cold rain falls.

Have a very busy day at work. Not stressful, exactly, but busy, and I'm still getting familiar with the job.

Do the evening commute in the pouring rain, never going appreciably over 45 mph even though your commute is 90% on major freeways. End up arriving 10 minutes late to daycare.

Discover Riley to be on the brink. He's smiling, but hanging on by a thread. Have Riley get pushed over the edge to the Dark Side when one of the less-familiar daycare employees carries him out to the car.

Listen to Riley sob most of the way home. Luckily, it's only a five-minute drive.

Try to cajole Riley into helping bring in the milk, a task he usually enjoys but today refuses to do.

Haul a screaming Ri-Man into the house. Get him over the hump (briefly) by promising a trip down to the basement (!)

Take trip to basement. Console Riley when he trips on the last stair and falls apart. Again.

Get everyone upstairs. Riley is still upset. Take Riley into living room for some glider time. Calm Riley down only to have him flip out again when Maddie tips over a ceramic vase/urn thingie in the living room that was among John's favorite objets d'art. Pick up Maddie to console her, too, because the sight and sound of the breaking vase freaked her out. Briefly worry about whether or not stoneware might contain lead paint.

Have a family cry in the glider.

Decide to make boxed mac'n'cheese for dinner. Get family into kitchen for prep. Enjoy brief respite in the insanity while kids entertain themselves while dinner is cooked.

Lose your sh*t when Riley starts to scream upon seeing his mac'n'cheese with peas. "No patsa! Yes pasta! No peas! Yes peas! No pasta! Yes pasta!" [sob, sob, sob]

Offer up some animal crackers. Find that this is too much for Riley, who falls apart. Again. To the point that he gets put in his crib for a few minutes to calm down.

Get Riley out of his crib. Get kids ready for bed, which involves a few pep talks for Riley, but is eventually successful and pretty much tear-free.

Close the door to the kids' room and feel like crying/screaming/punching someone, but lack the energy to follow through.

Remember you need to pay bills. Log on to online banking and find that you are $500 overdrawn in your checking account and have nearly $4000 (yes, that's $4K) in bills due. You know, mortgage, credit card, car payment, utilities, daycare, student loans, automatic debit to retirement account (which might need rethinking) . . . basically every monthly bill you ever get. Transfer some money, prep a deposit for the next day, and feel utterly depressed about your financial situation.

Remember that tomorrow is Valentine's Day, and that your valentine is, well, dead.

(And, just when you thought it was over, hit "Publish Post," lean over to set the laptop on the coffee table, and knock over the only remaining glass of wine in the house. I'm so ready for bed. Or a Scotch. Or a Scotch then bed. Or something.)

44 comments:

elderflowerpressee said...

Oh, sweetheart. I admire you so much for just keeping going. Much love and support from a lurker.

Anonymous said...

I know it doesn't help much during days like these but there's at least one person sending good vibes in your direction :)

Anastasia L said...

That's about as sucky as a day can get. I'm so sorry.

-Anastasia

kim said...

*hugs*

Here's hoping that things are better tomorrow, after everyone gets a good night's sleep. (And wishing I could send you our un-used liquor supply... someone ought to enjoy it!)

Anonymous said...

it's truly boggling how shitty a day can be. I hope you had a scotch, or something, and have an awesome sleep tonight!

Anonymous said...

giant, giant hugs. Ugh, what a horrible day.

Mary Ellen said...

That stinks.
Is he sleeping well at daycare? My oldest daughter gets like all the seven dwarfs when she doesn't sleep at daycare, and it happens all too frequently...
Snacks help, in my experience. If you're not a no-eating-in-the-car kind of gal, maybe you could pass back the pretzels, raisins, etc. (I find they cheer me up!)
Good luck.

Mouthy Girl said...

I just hope tomorrow's better for you. Try to sleep.

I hope John's spirit envelopes you tonight and keeps you safe and content.

Kizz said...

Scotch in bed! That is the ingenious New England spirit. Warm, comforting and perfectly safe. I hope you went straight for that option.

Tiffany said...

Being a parent to a toddler is so hard and you have two in the house. We have good days and bad days and the bad days are 10 times worse when you have a sick toddler. All I can say is that it will get better.

Anonymous said...

*hugs* Much support and good vibes from a long-time lurker.

mames said...

oh shit, i should have read this post first. scotch sounds good after night like that.

Lollipop Goldstein said...

The family cry is pretty much the most perfect line in the whole world (and sometimes the only temporary solution).

Anonymous said...

Many many hugs to you. I stumbled on your blog from another I read and I've read it from start to current. I feel like I know you and yet obviously don't personally.

You have my utmost respect and admiration. You are an amazing woman and mother! Don't forget that, k?

One day at a time girlie. You need a HUG!!

Jessica from MN

Robin J. said...

{hugs} As I read your post, I traveled along with you throughout the difficult day. And while I haven't been on this exact road, I certainly could feel your pain and frustration. I wish I could sit tonight with you and share a glass of wine.

Superha said...

so sorry to hear about your day. :(

i pray things get better soon.

at least you have a kick ass tatoo!

Sylvie said...

Oh, blah. the wine is like the last straw. My only recommendation is to improve your wine stash as I know very little of managing crying kids. But I know from my own crying, sometimes it's just one of those days...

Rachel said...

Oh, no. That sounds so hard, all of it. Sending good thoughts/ prayers/ vibes your way.

Anonymous said...

that sounds like a scotch in bed time to me..

Sitting In Silence said...

What a crappy day for you.

You are an inspiration even though on days like this you dont feel it..

I have a friend who says...

Just close the book and tomorrow is another page...

Thinking of you today...

debangel said...

All that, and you *still* sent out Valentines on Facebook. You are too cool for school.

Big hugs to you...hope your little Valentines help you have a better day today =)

BrooklynGirl said...

Big hugs to you, my dear.

Serenity said...

Oh man. What a day.

*HUG*

xxx

Anonymous said...

Bless your heart - what a shit day.

Best wishes for a better tomorrow,

Losh.

IdleMindOfBeth said...

no words - just de-lurking to send {{{{{hugs}}}}} your way

Charlie said...

Poor you.

Here's hoping that the next few days are a definite improvement. Keep your chin up girl! x

Anonymous said...

My son is in that pasta/no pasta phase too and it drives me batty, even though I know it is developmentally sound. Virtual support to you.

Anonymous said...

The last glass of wine. Oh dear. How tempting was it just to break off the wine stem and then end it all, a la Juliet? Happy dagger, this is thy sheath . . .

I pray that you had some Scotch in the house. Maybe you should dribble a bit in the Ri-man's juice cup. Sounds like he could use one, too.

Wishing you a happier Valentines day. You're missing one of your Valentines, but you've still got two at home with you. Even if one of them is a crazy man. Hope they give you lots of love and kisses.

Gillian

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Angela said...

That sounds so very hard. I really hope the next few days go much better. Thinking of you and sending hugs and good thoughts.

Kate Winslow and Guy Ambrosino said...

We are right there with you with the no-money thing, and it simply sucks ass. And the falling-apart kid thing too. I'm sorry--I hope today is a million times better.

Aunt Becky said...

Oh sweetie. What a terrible day.

*hugs*

Neva4getme said...

I know during those days at my house nothing makes me feel better than a big HUG. So here's one for ya!

Alison said...

Sending you wishes for a better day today.

B.E.C.K. said...

What a hard, hard day. Damn, I wish I lived next door so I could bring you more wine or give you a hand. You amaze me. *hug*

Rachel said...

Hi...I agree with mary ellen...snacks help.

You know 4-6 pm would be a witching hour for us. Then I always brought a snack when I picked up my boys. I noticed that it's almost like chemistry...some raisins or a little OJ goes along way to give them a boost of energy at that time. Then things would be OK after the snack...

Sending good vibes to you.

Alice

~ Jolene said...

Much love going out to you. I admire you for laying everything on the table and sharing your days with us...good or bad. I hope it gets better for you...very, very soon.

Mama Nabi said...

*hugs* I cried with you while reading the part about your family cry on the glider. I *heart* you... hugs and kisses to all of you.

Karyn said...

That sucks, Snick. So, so sorry. We all have shitty days, but that one just totally beats all in my book. May tomorrow be better... I'm sending good vibes your way (and promise to send a real email soon!).

Sharon Bartlett said...

Everyone around me - family, friends, work/study students - has been having days like these lately. And that's not even looking outside at the rest of the world. What's up?
Just don't get this awful flu we all seem to be getting at Rolly (Rollins College, where I work). Being in Florida is easier, weather-wise, but we still get sick easier in winter.
Take care, Snick, it's gotta get better, right?

Kim said...

Dear Riley, I totally hear you about the peas and pasta! My Mama (she's from OR too) puts peas and corn in everything! "Don't mix it in! Just set them on my tray!" Then about the teething thing. My Mama is pretty dense about teething! I gnaw on my binkie, put my whole hand in my mouth, drool through shirts four days in a row, and sometimes bite her. Then she gets it...teething, Mama!! I was impressed to hear that you can spend a day away from your Mama at daycare. I can't yet. I don't have my own room or bed either. Mama says ARGH! Daddy says, isn't it sweet. Anyway, my birthday is a few days before you, so my Mama likes to read your Mama's blog! I hope you feel well soon. Junniesstories.wordpress.com/

Anonymous said...

Wow. That sounds like my day yesterday kinda...minus the kids and broken stuff. I'm sorry.

Christine said...

What a shitty day. As my grandma says, this too shall pass. I keep repeating it to myself when things get overwhelming.

Julia said...

Oh man. Three scotches sounds about right for this kind of day. I am sorry.