confessions of a guilty Mommy

Why is it that trying to get out of the house on Sunday morning turns a normally easygoing Mommy like myself into a monster? Poor Dennis got a taste of my temper this morning that he really didn't deserve, and I was happy to confess my sin at church before communion this morning. I am forgiven, of course, and Dennis hugged me when I told him I was sorry, but I still feel a little bad about it. We got to the church parking lot, Dennis and I, before 10 this morning (a little late, but not too embarrassing), and I looked back to see snot gushing out of his nose. I'd had to pull over 3 times when he asked for a napkin, and I decided that he didn't need to be in his class to spread whatever it is around. We went back home to take some cold medicine and syringe out his nose, and while I was putting something in the car, Dennis got into some mischief in the bathroom. I came in the house and didn't see him right away and when I got to the bathroom, he was spraying water onto his shirt with my spray bottle. I asked him what he was doing, and he proudly announced "I am cleaning the Coke Zero off my shirt--I spilled it". Instead of realizing that he was trying to help, I grabbed the bottle from him and yelled at him and demanded to know what he was doing with the Coke Zero in the first place, and then I tossed the can into the tub. He burst into tears, and I felt so bad. I am the one who left the drink can on the bathroom counter. He spilled and was trying to clean it up. I was frustrated because we were going back to church for the service and now his clothes were all messed up and I had to change him. I kneeled down to hug him and apologize and thank him for trying to make things right by cleaning off the Coke stains, and he hugged me back and said "it's okay, Mommy, I'm sorry I made a mess" and my heart just broke. I am going to have to learn to be more patient on Sunday mornings. This would not have rocked me had it happened on any other morning. When we got to church, his medicine had taken effect and he wasn't sniffly any more and went to his own little church service rather than coming into the service with me, and when church let out, I discovered David had gotten off work and picked him up, and we all went to the church luncheon together. He told his Daddy "Mommy lost her temper, and I've got to help her find it." Dennis is upset with me again now, but it's because I insisted he take a nap this afternoon when he insisted he didn't need one (in that whiny I-really-need-a-nap tone that kids get).

I don't know what it is about the bathroom. A couple of days ago, David went in and found that Dennis had spread a line of toilet paper from the tub to the doorway (all the way along the length of our whole bathroom, right down the middle) and was spraying it down with the same spray bottle (I can't seem to find a place where he can't reach the thing). He told us he was working.

Last night as I was putting Badger Winter Wonder Balm (like Vicks Vaporub but all natural) on his chest, I left his room to do something, and he yelled a few minutes later "Mommy, I am rubbing my belly" and I yelled back "that's nice" until I spent a minute thinking about it. Sure enough, I'd forgotten to take the balm can out with me and I could see his bare stomach shining as soon as I opened the door. His belly button was full to the rim and the scent of eucalyptus was everywhere. I wiped him down with a warm wet washcloth and laughed along with him. Fortunately there wasn't balm on the bedding or wall or anything! Why is it that they can find and get into EVERYTHING? I'm with him all the time--why can't I remember to put stuff out of his reach? Where exactly is out of his reach since I've seen him dragging chairs and stepstools all through the house to get to what he wants? How can parenting be so overwhelming and so wonderful all at the same time?