Nightmare on Paris Place...

 

And various other locations...

Saturday my life started to go to Hell!  It's been one continuous nightmare after another!!!!!  I've shed many a tear and lost my temper way too many times!!!!!  Unfortunately IT never seems to end!!!  :O(

Day 1:  It all started when Jacob left for St. Louis about 10:30 am Saturday morning! Unfortunately since the last two days have been a whirlwind of non-stop activity and constant trials and tribulations I have apparently blocked the events of Saturday from my memory, so I can’t tell you what happened at this time…  Wait…  I remembered something…  I spent a lot of time in the evening trying to put the kids Easter outfits together so we wouldn’t have to search for something, last minute, in the morning.  I ended up arguing and fighting with the boys a lot because they didn’t want to wear something super fancy.  In the end I won out, but was worn out emotionally from the fight!  :O(

So I will move onto Sunday…

Day 2:  Sunday morning I awoke relatively early to get ready for Easter Sunday.  Maggie had spent several hours sleeping in the bed with me (she joined me around 4:30 I believe) and had managed to push me to the edge of Jacob’s side of the bed.  When I got up she was laying horizontal on the bed with her feet on my side and her head on the edge of my side of the bed.  I left her sleeping and went to take a shower, but she woke up and ended up showering with me.  When we finished, I helped to get the boys ready for the day.  I had to focus individually on each child until they were completely dressed then move onto the next child because if my attention strayed even a little bit, that child would freak out.  So anyway,  I got the boys dressed and Anna got Maggie into her tights.  Anna had gotten herself ready, but didn’t know where Maggie’s dress was so I had to go downstairs and get it from the laundry room. 

When Maggie was all dressed and ready for the day, except for her shoes, I finally had the time to get myself ready for the day.  I couldn’t figure out anything to wear that looked really nice and didn’t make me feel totally fat, so I opted for something slightly nice, but more for comfort., About 15 minutes before we needed to leave for Church and I was dressed and ready, I headed downstairs.  As I reached the bottom of the stairs, John comes running out of the kitchen yelling, “Mom, Maggie’s playing in the dog water!” Then Maggie comes running out from the kitchen as if on cue and she’s drenched in the dogs water and the feet of her tights are brown.  SO I had to go and find her a completely new outfit.  What I found wasn’t anywhere near as cute at the outfit she was originally wearing, but I didn’t have anything else for her to wear and we were running out of time to get to Church.

         Well I took the kids to Church to honor God and for no other reason.  I didn’t really even want to be there and as I stood in the sanctuary I felt like crying off an on because of the mornings events. I didn’t sing much and just ended up listening.  I didn’t learn anything, though I did end up putting in a prayer request.

         After Service Anna went and got John for me ( I had written her a note and given her my security card so I wouldn’t have to get him AND Maggie from their classes);  I also gave her my keys and asked her to take him out the van.  I went to get Maggie, David was with me, and as I stood waiting for the workers to bring her to me a lady I know from MOPS, named Erin, came up and said “Happy Easter!”. 

I was like, “Sure.” rather sourly.  I may have even rolled my eyes.  S:OS

About that time they brought Maggie over.  Erin said, “What a pretty dress.” 

I was like, “She was wearing a much prettier one this morning.” Then proceeded to tell her about my morning.  Then we headed out to the van.

From Church we headed to Toys R Us.  Since we had gotten out 15 minutes early from Church and I didn’t have to meet my friend Cindy at the Chinese Buffet till 11, I figured we had time.  I went there because I knew they had these train track pieces that John needed to be able to connect the train sets that he had gotten for his Birthday together and I wasn’t sure when we’d be down there again…  Anyway, when we got there I discovered that all their Easter stuff was 75% off.  I ended up getting each of the kids a basket filled with goodies for $3.25 (4) to $5 (1) and several Easter themed board books for Maggie at 50% off. 

After looking through the Easter stuff for a while I headed over to the train area and picked up two track sets for John.  The boys played with the train set that was out and I decided to look around a bit since the Sunday paper that I had gotten didn’t have any ads in it for some reason (not sure why?).  Anyway, I had a really hard time keeping the kids with me while I was going through the isles.  The boys kept taking off, I was really frustrated so I quit looking and we checked out.

We made it to the LD Buffet at about 11.  I had Anna run in to see if they were open, which I was pretty sure they were.  She came back out go get us, so I texted Cindy to let her know she could head over. I brought all the kids into the restaurant and sat the boys and Maggie at the front on the bench to wait for Anna and I to get the food (we got it “to go”).  I told David to keep an eye on Maggie and for John to just sit there and wait.  After I’d dished up my favorite sushi, I looked over to find all the kids (minus Anna) doing ring around the support pole at the front and making a scene so I had to go and reprimand them.  Once they were seated again I finished getting our food, paid, then we headed home.

When we got home I tried to take some pictures of the kids all dressed up in their Easter garb, HOWEVER they weren’t cooperating.  I finally gave up.  Cindy joined us a few minutes later.  When she arrived we sat down to eat.  When the kids were done, I told them to go downstairs and watch a show so Cindy and I could watch a show of our own, but they kept hanging around making too much noise and Cindy and I had too much to talk about.  We couldn’t really pay attention to the movie (and it was one of those movies you really want to pay attention to or you end up missing things), so we finally gave up trying to watch.  I let Cindy take the movie home so she would be able to watch the movie without all the distractions.  Since watching the show wasn’t working out I suggested that we go and check out a different Toys R Us to see what selection of Easter stuff they had left. 

When we arrived at TRU they were pretty much cleaned out of most of the good Easter stuff.  :O(  I did find some different Easter themed books though and two really cute, super soft, fleece bunnies that I got for .75¢ each.  I also found the Limited Edition Tangled storey book that I had wanted to get, quite awhile back, and a Hello Kitty ABC board book which I got for FREE because of their Sunday BOGO sale going on with their books.  So that was cool!

We looked around awhile longer.  The kids were really having a hard time staying with me and I had to keep going to get them.  We finally decided it was time to leave and headed towards the check out. 

While I was checking out I asked Anna to keep an eye on Maggie for me.  She was too distracted with whatever she was doing and not paying any attention to Maggie so I asked her again.  When I finished checking out I stood with Cindy waiting for her to finish her transaction.  Then all of a sudden I hear the boys screaming something about Maggie and I turn to see John running out the Exit doors, so I take off running too!  I get outside and there is Maggie across the street and David has just gotten a hold of her.  Needless to say I was startling shocked and super angry!  I rushed across the street, grabbed Maggie from David and stormed to the van, buckled Maggie into her car seat and immediately called Jacob.  We discussed the kids lack of cooperation, and inability to mind.  I said I needed to pick up a collar and leash for Maggie so I don’t have to chase after her all the time, since she won’t say put.  About this time Cindy comes out and I tell her what happened; she’s shocked!  I tell her I need to get a collar and leash for Maggie and she reminds me about the safety harnesses that TRU and other stores carry.  So I asked if she’d watch the kids while I ran in to find one.  She said yes and says she’ll talk to the kids for me while I’m gone. 

I found what I was looking for, but didn’t like the color, so I didn’t get it.  I decided that I would just strap Maggie in when she’s in a cart and just not go anywhere else that doesn’t have a cart until I can go and find one of those safety harnesses.  My plan is to go to Kid to Kid when we get paid Thursday because I’ve seen them there before and they were way cheaper than buying a new one.  I hope I can find what I’m looking for!!!

I can’t remember what I did in the evening.  The kids didn’t get their Easter baskets or chocolate bunnies because they had been so disobedient (that was what I told them when they asked about them). I’m sure I cleaned up dog pee at least once or twice down in the playroom.  I’m REALLY TICKED that the person who sold us the dog said she was potty trained because she obviously isn’t and that was a major factor in our getting her!  :O( 
 I guess I’ll move on because I can’t remember anything else that happened…

Day 3:  Monday (4-25-11) morning, Anna came into my room about 6:30, she wanted to know what to do with her hair because yesterday evening I had wound her damp hair up into sections and secured them with bobby pins so that in the morning when she woke up her hair would be curly.  I told her to let the dog out and would help her with her hair when I got up.  I continued to lie in bed for a little while after she left, Maggie asleep at my side.  She had spent half the night sleeping in bed with me (she didn’t hog the whole bed this time).  When I got up a few minutes later I got dressed. 

         What happened after this and up until the events of the morning, I’m not quite clear on anymore.  However, I think in there somewhere I decided to move Maggie’s furniture around so that she’ll be more secure in her toddler bed, instead of switching her over to a twin mattress like I debated… 

Anyway, so I was distracted with something or other and came downstairs, John comes rushing over… “Mom, Maggie has poop!” 

“What?!” I say in shock and confusion.  Then turn to find Maggie holding two dog turds.  I start yelling frantically and Maggie sets the poop down on the table.  I pick her up and rush her over to the sink and immediately wash and rinse her hands and wipe her face, which has suspicious indications that she may have been trying to eat the poop, YUCK!!! 

With her all cleaned up I grab a paper towel and throw the poop away, then using some sanitizer wipes I wash down the table and douse it with sanitizer pray.  After it was cleaned I question John about where Maggie found the poop.  He’s pretty certain that it was on the floor in the TV room.  Though I’m not quite positive of John’s certainty, I start searching around to make sure there aren’t anymore unfortunate incidents on the floor.  Initially I don’t see anything, though I spot the dog looking rather guilty over next to one of the bookshelves in the front room and I tell the kids to take her outside and move on.  Since I didn’t find anything, I sanitize spray the whole TV room, then wash the carpet, and sanitize spray the whole floor again, this time leaving it to dry.  I had Anna grab the box fans from downstairs and set them up so the floor would dry quicker.

Once the floor was clean and the steam vac was cleaned and put away (in the garage), I decided to go check around and make sure I didn’t miss anything.  Guess what?!  I DID!!!  I found several logs of poop on the floor in the fireplace room (not sure how I missed them).  So I pick ‘em up and sanitize spray the floor.  Then I had to retrieve the steam vac, refill it, and as I go to plug it in behind an end table in the front room, guess what else I found?!?!?!  A huge puddle of dog pee (that’s why the dog looked so guilty)!  I started breathing deeply so I wouldn’t lose it, but couldn’t handle it anymore, so I started to cry as I worked to clean up the mess.  I ended up washing the whole carpet in the fireplace room and front room and drenched everything in sanitizer spray!        

Just before Anna and David left for School I went to put the dogs blanket outside, since I had no intension of letting her back in, however she managed to rush past me into the house.  I yell at the kids to grab her and put her back outside.  Well Anna grabbed her by the collar and started dragging her back outside (because she didn’t want to go), AND the dog left a trail of pee all along the floor behind her.  SO I had to wash the carpet AGAIN!!!  :O(

I had to rush Anna and David out the door, then finish cleaning up.  Though on one of my many passes past the bathroom I heard a bunch of splashing coming from inside.  I opened the door to find Maggie holding the toilet brush and she’s sloshed toilet water all over the floor completely soaking it.  I had to sop up all the water and sanitize the toilet, the whole floor, and while I was at it I wiped down the counter and mirror.  After cleaning the bathroom I took Maggie upstairs, stripped her, gave her a bath, then dried her and put her in clean clothes.

So after all this was over it was just after the older two left for School.  After going, going, going since about 6:30 am, and it now being almost 10 am, I was finally able to sit down and relax for a moment.  I put on a movie for John and Maggie.  I surfed the net while holding Maggie. 

I was checking out potty training advice, when my sister called to tell me about an item, which I had been searching for, was in stock at a local store.  Her call reminded me of something that I had meant to do that morning, but got side tracked and completely forgot about…  And what I had forgotten was that I wanted to go to Target to check out the after Easter sale.  While I was there I also tried to find a child safety harness (which I didn’t find) and a baby gate, which I did get (I purchased it as a potty training tool).  I also got some bread (which we were completely out of) and a few Easter items at 50% off.

Back home around 11, Maggie was super cranky so I decided to put her down for a nap.  Then I nuked some left over Chinese for John and my lunch and sat down to finally relax.  I was able to do some furniture research on-line (Anna really needs a dresser and some bookshelves to get her room in order) and check a few other things out.

Then about 2 pm, since I hadn’t heard Maggie yet, I thought I should go and check on her.  I found her still asleep, on her bed, so I decided to go outside and do some yard work.  I went out back and pulled all the dandelions (or so I thought, I found one later, it must have been hiding), raked up most of the loose stuff on the yard, then mowed the lawn.  When I was finished I came in to find Maggie in my chair, fortunately she hadn’t gotten into anything.

Later in the afternoon after the kids were home from school I had to clean up another pee spot from the dog.  Jacob and I talked about potty training techniques so that the dog wouldn’t have the chance to pee in the house.  We decided that when the dog is in the house we will keep her on her leash and when she is outside (in the back yard), she can be off her leash.  We’ll after the kids had had her on he leash for awhile, and she had been outside not too long ago, I didn’t think it necessary to keep the dog on her leash anymore since she was with at least one of us the whole time.  Unfortunately not too long after her release AND right in front of David’s nose (which was in a book), she peed on the floor, though he said it was there when he went in the fireplace room to start reading.  SMH  :O(

I made dinner for us all about 4:30.  My original plan was to start dinner at 4:15, however my timing was thrown off because I had to clean up the dog mess. 

The rest of this evening I spent a lot of time keeping Maggie out of trouble. 

Around 6 pm (I didn’t even realize it was that late until my sister called and as I was walking around happened to glace at the clock on the microwave), I had Anna take the dog for a walk.

Just before 7 pm I had the kids get their pajamas on and brush their teeth.  We were waiting for our reading time with Jacob, via Skype, which we had previously scheduled as our nightly, family get together time before the kids went to bed each night.  However, I couldn’t get a hold of Jacob so I had the kids do some reading on their own. I spent the time cleaning the kitchen and doing some reorganizing, and then put the kids to bed at 8.  I continued to clean the kitchen.  I got 3 of the four counters cleaned off, the medicine cabinet decluttered, reorganized, and all the outdated meds tossed.  AND I’ve spent the last hour and fifteen minutes trying to keep Maggie in bed; she didn’t want to stay put till I scared her this last time (it’s now 9:29 pm).

I’m not sure why my kids have such a hard time listening to me OR minding… Or why EVERYTHING has escalated as horribly as it has since Jacob has been gone???  It just seems like one bad thing after another happens and I’m constantly, CONSTANTLY, RUNNING AROUND TRYING TO CLEAN IT ALL UP!!!

AAARRRRRGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!  :O(