On Thursday, I took Benjamin to get a new shirt for our family picture. His clothes (for the most part) are all hand-me-downs, so I wanted him in something decent. The meltdown began in the dressing room when I asked Benjamin to try a shirt on. Since it wasn't going to happen and he was getting more and more worked up about everything, I decided just to leave. He screamed all the way out of the store, and the whole car ride home, and he stayed in the car for about twenty minutes once we were in the driveway. I guess he was sure that if he held his ground, I would change my mind and take him back to get the "cool shirt." Tough luck, kid. So I began my day feeling like a terrible mom (at least in the public eye) with a spoiled kid. Later that day, I discovered my phone was off even though it had been plugged into the wall for two days. I had several messages, and felt like a terrible friend for not calling anyone back or at least noticing it was off. Then that afternoon as I was playing "grocery store" in the basement with Benjamin, I saw two tiny mice crawl under a door. That pretty much set me over the edge. I felt like I must be a terrible housekeeper too to have mice in our house again. I know I'm my own worst critic, but I really felt like a failure that day. Paul was so nice and understanding and helpful that evening. He even did the dirty work and killed the two mice that we caught on the sticky traps. For future reference, sticky traps are not cool.
Saturday was great. After a few tears and meltdowns (mostly Benjamin's), we made it to our portrait session on time and everyone smiled all the way through it. We got some really great ones of both the boys. We had gotten a family portrait back in January while we were in Utah, but I was not impressed with their underwhelming options and inflated pricing. I found out recently that they're going bankrupt. Honestly, I wasn't too surprised. Then that afternoon, we set to work, totally de-cluttering and gutting the basement of all our junk. We even tackled the creepy, dusty, unfinished laundry room. We did some serious spring cleaning, and we came away with 6 black trash bags and a few big cardboard boxes full of stuff to get rid of. It felt so good! Everything down there is finally organized, shelved, and put in totes instead of cardboard boxes. Paul found the spot where he thinks the mice are coming in, and he'll fix it with foam. Hopefully that will take care of the problem. Because I really hate mice. That night we watched a cute movie called "Miss Potter." It's about Beatrix Potter and her "Peter Rabbit" stories. Her illustrations are amazing and I really want to buy her set of books now. Oh, and I want to go to the Lake District in England. Pure magic.
I agree with you, I wasn't too impressed with the photographer either. And the prices WERE ridiculous! I like how your family pictures turned out. You have the cutest kids!
ReplyDeleteHahaha! LOVE your new header! That's funny, out of context as I read it, and using both your boys' names. Very cool.
ReplyDeleteSorry about your bad day. Benjamin, don't you know that was a TREAT to go shopping for clothes with Mom? Oh wait, you're a boy. Maybe that will never be "his thing." Too bad it's totally normal for kids to have tantrums in stores-- I honestly don't know what I'm going to do when Anna does it, too. I just hope I'm as sensible and I stick to my word as well as you.
Those pictures are GREAT! They turned out awesome, every one. I especially like the individual shots of Benjamin and Peter. You must be very pleased! Benjamin and Peter are dang cute.
Sarah, I am so proud of you for holding your ground with Benjamin in the store! I have had to do that with Natalie a few times, and I'll tell you, it is way easier in the future to threaten to just leave if they throw a fit if you've actually DONE that, and they remember it. It may not be his last experience being dragged tooth and nail from the store, unfortunately, but he'll get the picture eventually, I promise. Now if Natalie starts acting like a brat at the store, I simply remind her that if she does throw a fit and act like that, we will be leaving immediately without anything. That usually shuts her up fairly quickly. And here comes Lucy into the 2 1/2 year old stage... Hope I can keep that "mean mommy" resolve!
ReplyDeleteYour pictures turned out great! And it sounds like you had a nice, productive Saturday. I love those kind of days.
ReplyDeleteLooks like the pictures turned out great, despite the tantrums :)
ReplyDeleteYou have such an adorable family. And I'll have to agree about the family portrait experience... it was a little sketch. And I kind of felt that we all looked a bit too touched up and unnatural. Oh well, at least we got to have it done when we were all together ;)
Those photos are really sweet. It reminds me that our family has yet to ever do a family portrait. I hate to fork over the dollars! But I should.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry you had such a tough week. Mice can happen to anyone. It says something about the weather and the penetrability of your weird nooks and crannies of house, not your housekeeping. If you had cockroaches and you didnt live in Florida, that might be different. :)
And everyone knows that kids freak out and tantrum. Benjamin is TWO. That is what 2 year olds do. Anyone who would assume he was spoiled or that you were a bad mom either has never been a parent or they have a very selective memory about their own kdis. In fact, one thing that i try to remind myself when my own kids go crazy when they can't get something is that their crying is a reminder that they are not spoiled. If they were, I would just cave in and give them what they want. If they never get upset at you, you are probably doing something wrong! Also, every time you hold firm and dont put up with bad behavior, you are slowly but surely teaching him the proper way to behave. You are a great mom, a really wonderful, sweet mom. Try to remember that, too.
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ReplyDeleteWhat a week of mommy memories and patience development. You are doing a great job as a mother. Sounds like Benjamin has inherited his father's Will. Not such a bad thing in the long run, but it does make life interesting. Love, Momo
ReplyDeleteBy the way -- cute pictures! Looking forward to seeing you all this summer!
ReplyDeleteHow cute are your pictures! Love them. And thank you for writing about your one beating up yourself session, I have days like that too. And then think I'm a big failure freak show or something. So I'm glad to know I'm not alone (and that we're not freak shows, we're not, right?!)
ReplyDeleteAlso, sticky traps are sick. I don't know whats worse though, those or the real true mouse traps. We always had mice in our house in Hawaii. They were way worse than the cockroaches!