I've Lost My Last Nerve.....Have You Seen It?

I know that it's only Tuesday, and Brent left on Monday, but he's really been gone since Friday (campout 1/2 day Friday, all day Saturday, busy all day Sunday). That's 5 days of the kids all on my own. And I was doing so good yesterday. And even this morning, I was doing great. I don't know what happened.

We dropped Jacob off at Orchestra today at 4:30. We had library books that were due today, or 25 cents per book per day. We had about 20 books. Do the math. I didn't want the fees. So, I loaded up everyone, and headed out. That kinda put me in a foul mood. I didn't want to take everyone out. I was hungry, and it was time to make dinner.

So we get to the library, and the kids are rotten. I have to put Jim down in order to return the books, and he runs off. I send Tom to get him (mistake), and instead, he chases him, weaving, through the bookshelves. This looks like fun, so of course Joe joins in. I tell Eme to stay put, and track them down.

Then, as I'm seeing what books we forgot to bring (luckily just one, and I knew where it was!), and paying Tom's fine on his book, the kids are standing near a book shelf, fighting with one another (no, they didn't knock it over, luckily). So we head on over to the children's department to see the 'firetruck'. It's pretty neat. It's made of wood, and has seats for kids to sit on and read a book. They climb all over it, and have a good time.

We see the story time lady, and Joe gets really excited (no, he didn't pee, luckily). He starts showing off for her, and doing jumps and kicks. Nice. Eme joins in. Jim doesn't know whats going on, but he decides that spinning and falling down is appropriate. I try and remind them that this is a library, and we need to be reverent, but it's lost on this group. Tom, bless his heart, is doing great.

We waste a little time here, chatting with the story time lady, killing time until we have to pick up Jacob. Jim runs around, acting crazy. He only had a 15 minute nap, and is totally out of control. Now you grown-ups, you know that when you need sleep, you act tired, and slow, and lethargic. Well, that's not the case with children. I think that subconsciously, they know if they sit still, they'll fall asleep. So, he's so active, he's practically running. Pulling off books, movies, jumping, spinning, running, you name it, he's doing it.

Finally, it's time to go. They run for the door. I try my best to keep up. I have a chat with them about staying together, but I have to yell at them at least 5 times before we get to the truck before they'll listen. So, that was the beginning of the end of my nerves.

We get Jacob (who's dorking around outside when I go to pick him up, and doesn't see me, so I have to get out, and go over and get him) and come home. Dinner is homemade chinese food for me, and a frozen pizza and corn for the kids. Relatively easy to make. We eat, and that goes off well.

I decided that Jim is going to bed early, but that he needs a bath first. It had been WAY too long since that child had had a bath, and it couldn't be put off any longer. This was going to be a struggle, because he hates the bath. He used to like it, but he hates it now. Anyway, the big kids go outside to jump on the trampoline, Jacob to do his homework, and Jim and I to the bathroom.

I start the water, and he instantly starts to sob. No, I'm not gonna drown you! I even put bubbles in the bath so that he'll like it more. I stick him in, and more screams. But after about 30 seconds, he decided he likes it. Until I have to wash him. I try and get it over with fast, so that he can have a few minutes to play. All the while, we're hiding in the bathroom so that the others won't know what we're doing.

About 4 minutes later, Joe Eme and Tom find us. OK Jim, it's time to get out. After all the drama to get him in, he doesn't want to get out. More screaming. I strip Joe naked, and put him in the bath, and tell him to wait for me to finish with Jim, and I'll be back.

So I take Jim into his room, dry him off, diaper him, jammie him, and start to put him in bed, but realize that his ears are so gross, we could grow potatoes in them. Yah, that bad. So I put him down, and go looking for the q-tips. I get distracted by some toy on the floor, and take about 3 minutes and straighten up the kids room. Just when I'm finishing, Eme comes running in, and says that Jim is in the tub. You have GOT to be kidding me!

My first instinct was to yell and spank someone.....hard!!!! But I took a few seconds, and composed myself, and grabbed the camera. This is what I found in the tub.

So, to restate my title, I've lost my last nerve.....has anyone seen it?