Monday, August 15, 2011

Can't Keep Up

It's been a while since I've taken to this blog to moan and groan about life with children.  Frankly, they haven't really been annoying me too much.  Life has been pretty peachy.  The girls were in school up until late July.  They've been getting along well, sleeping well, and so on. Olivia's strong personality has shown through here and there. She was a complete brat when we had a friend come stay with us for a couple of weeks - but, when life returned to normal, she became a bit easier to handle. Though, she does think she's quite a princess now that she speaks fluent German.  That gets tough.  But, I've been managing.

That is until Matt left for Kosovo. Or, I guess it started shortly before he left.  They've taken to destroying the house and getting into stuff that doesn't belong to them.   Matt had a conversation with them recently after they got into some of that stuff that doesn't belong to them.  He asked them if they had comprehension problems because they repeatedly get into things they know they aren't supposed to. They just gave him a blank stare.

I know everything is catching up with them.  They miss their school friends, they weren't really prepared for a short-notice "trip" daddy had to take.  They know there is a very good chance we'll move to another part of Germany this winter.  Their brother will be here in less than two months and they see the preparation for that. But, really, do they have to trash every room, acting like they are three-year-olds? 

I can't keep up.  I'm eight-months-pregnant. I'm tired. I have insomnia.  Today, I was so tired and frazzled, I side-swiped a beam in a parking garage backing out of space.  Just after I had the car fixed for side-swiping another car.  I mean, I don't even dare call up our insurance company to ask how much our insurance will go up if I claim it. And, let me tell you, my Prius now looks GHETTO.  That door needs to be fixed. Yet, it opens and closes just fine and does not present a safety issue-purely cosmetic. So, what to do, what to do? I don't know.  I just know I want my pre-pregnancy brain back - which was always a bit frazzled. But, not like this. I'm a danger to myself and others behind the wheel.  And, everyone kept pressuring me to get a mini-van when they found I was expecting a third child. Yeah, can you see me driving that in Europe? No! Craziness! 

Back to the kids:


I've been trying to sew.  I have baby wipes and couch cushions covers to sew.  This weekend, I made them matching skirts.  While I made the skirts, they went from room to room and quietly destroyed every room except my room and the office.  When I asked them to pick up said messes, they looked at me and said, "What mess? I don't see a mess?"  Liv gets all serious-like and will say, "Mom, we are putting on a ballet recital. We need this stuff."  Yeah, they don't need every single one of their dress-up clothes thrown all over the playroom and hanging off their bed and lying on the stairs. So, I'll tell them that they are grounded from their bikes and friends and this is the crap I get:

"Mom, we don't care.  It's supposed to rain so I won't need my bike anyway.  Lila won't either. Also, our friends are in Paris, so, I can't play with them until next week and you are grounding me for this week."  

Or this:

"Mom, I don't care if you take away my bike. I don't even like it anymore. I want one of those balance skateboards and until I have one, I don't care if you take away everything I have to ride in the garage."

So, everyone tells me to stick it to Liv where it hurts (Lila's easy. You just tell her she's grounded and she'll cry for an hour-punishment enough).  Well, that's the problem. What does Liv like the most in the "whole wide world?"  Reading.  Specifically, being read to and reading to us (as best she can).  How the heck do I take that away from her?  Especially since she's entering German school in a few weeks, not American?  I need that kid to read in English as well as any American first grader.  So, take away something that's not only educational but imperative. I don't know. But, I also have run out of discipline ideas. Send her to her room? She'll fall asleep or cry and pick at her head and make it bleed. Blood soaking through her blonde hair.  Yup. That's my kid! So easy to discipline. 

What to do, what to do. All I really want to do is sleep, read, sew, be left alone to grow a baby and get him out and into my arms and the arms of my family safely.  How do I make disciplining my girls a main priority (mission) when I have another huge priority looming right ahead?  Deep breaths, deep breaths...I think I'll stick them in the Ikea daycare center tomorrow and walk around the store or read a book in their cafeteria. Mommy needs a break!

2 comments:

The Dunns said...

Aw, sending you hugs (and hopes for no more tantrums, messes, and side-swipes).

Have you read "Have A New Kid By Friday" by Leman? It has gread advice for behavior/attitude issues. I think Liv is at a good age for it. Your library should have a copy. Our ACS even hosts parenting classes based around it and I think they have books available.

Thanks for the starter!! We had sourdough zucchini bread last week, sourdough pancakes Sunday, and sourdough bread is in the plans for today. Yum!

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