oh the agony

Today was one of our more difficult parenting days. It wasn't until we'd endured a long day of whining and irritability and major crying that we thought about his new molars coming in. I dosed him with ibuprofen and hope that'll let him sleep well tonight (I just heard him laugh once in his sleep). Poor little guy didn't want to eat all day (very unusual), and he cried constantly. Not his little sad cry, but loud screaming "I hate the world" cries, and this is something he just never does. It got on my nerves and broke my heart all at the same time.

He didn't want to nap at all and got furious with us when we tried to put him down. The first time, he destroyed his room. We could hear him emptying toy bins and hurling things all around. He dismantled his train table and spread train tracks and parts everywhere. He wreaked complete havoc in the room his Daddy had just cleaned the night before. He was so proud of his room last night, saying "such a nice room" to us when we went in to put him to bed, but he destroyed it today. Poor long-suffering David had Dennis 'help' him clean it again tonight before bed.

There were moments of happy Dennis today, cute phrases, constant begging for apple juice (which he thoughtfully took out of the refrigerator and handed to me, saying "here Mommy, now I go find sippy cup"). There were hugs and songs, and I rocked him and hummed Rock-A-Bye Baby to him (the lyrics kind of unnerve me) for a while after putting his pajamas on. I thought we'd calmed him down enough to go to bed but he marched over and turned on the den light and said "sit couch, want to watch Bob Build" (Dennis speak for Bob the Builder). It was bedtime and he was furious that I insisted he go and climb in his bed. He fell asleep twice during the very short bedtime prayer. Surely tomorrow will be a better day. This was David's day off, and I wish things had been a little happier just for his sake. But I'm also glad I didn't have to deal with all of it alone.