Crazy Love Gamble-Style

Ok so I've come to the conclusion that I don't have enough patience to do this.   These kids are driving me nuts. Oh but wait, as I write this, Norah is SLEEPING and Ava is at SCHOOL and suddenly I feel fine, so there's that... But lets back up to this morning.   My alarm (Norah yelling) woke me up before I  was ready, just like every day. She was thrilled to see me, but had no patience for the fact that I didn't have pants on and wanted  to go find some... She wanted to play on the dead phone she found nestled under the ottoman, she didn't like the  answer I gave her about it needing to be charged. She screamed & yelled with no end in sight, she  ran down the hall to yell at her Dad about all the  injustices going on in the living room. She noticed the door to Ava's room closed and  decided she needed in there to play.   I explained to her that Ava was sleeping & that...

I know I talk a lot of smack about my kids and I know you know that I love them like crazy no matter what not-so-nice things I say, but I think I'm starting to realize that I don't give them enough credit for how GOOD they are.  When we're around some children  (not your kids I swear!)  it makes me think that mine are complete angels.   They can do no wrong, or at least by comparison  they are nearly perfect.    For kids.  I think Ava likes to be the "good one" just because she doesn't necessarily get to be that at home,  she loves that role.  I know that about her so I play  off of that, trying to encourage her to be good all the time . Norah likes being naughty, she thinks it's really funny, but she is so darn cute that even when she is being really naughty you can't think ill of her.    I'm pretty sure they make them that cute to keep you  from killing them, ...

Well, I don't hate all kid food. I LOVE mac & cheese, I just know better then to eat it, much.   Truthfully, I steal several bites when I make it.  (those calories don't count right?) I shouldn't even be making mac & cheese. It's not good for them! Just because I pair it with peas & applesauce  doesn't make it healthy. I really struggle with kid dinners. I know, as the mom, we are supposed to encourage our children to eat the meals  we cook. This is something I just plain suck at. It's not because I have something against  forcing them to eat something they are not thrilled about. In fact, I will admit it, I take a tiny amount  of joy knowing Ava won't eat something, but making her sit there for years on end  anyway, while she plays her little game.  It keeps her out of my hair for a long  period of time and I'm just mean like that . But the only reason I am mean ...