I was a bad Mommy this morning.

It's hard to get my kids out of bed. They probably go to bed too late, but we're working on that. It's hard to drag myself out of bed as well (I already know I go to bed way too late).

So this morning, as usual, I spent a good 20 minutes yelling at them to get up, get dressed, get up, get dressed, etc. I was already overstressed because hubby was out moving the car, Baby decided he needed milkie RIGHT NOW, and I still had to put their snacks together and get myself dressed. And it was already 7:35 AM.

But they got out of bed (finally). And hubby found a spot for the car. And the Girl finally got herself dressed, and the Baby was settled in his highchair with some yummy Gerber puffy-snack things. And I was beginning to think we might get out the door on time after all. And then, the Boy comes to me with this: "Mom, have you seen my glasses?"

He says he put them on his table last night, as always. But they weren't there. And they weren't on the floor (at least what I could see of the floor). And we couldn't find them.

My guess is that they were moved by the Baby, who likes to sneak in there once I turn out their lights (yes, the Baby is routinely up later than the big kids; he doesn't have school and he naps when he feels like it, and it was the same way with the Girl and the Boy back in the days before they went to school, so no lectures please). The Baby likes to take stuff and move it - as evidenced by the fact that I have now been sleeping in my contact lenses for 5 nights because he stole/hid my contact lens case and I am too cheap/lazy to buy a new one.

But instead of blaming the Baby, I screamed at the Boy. And the Girl. Because of the mess. And the fact that I have to do everything. And they have too much crap. And they never clean up. And they don't take care of their things.

I used lots of curse words. And yelled. And threw some stuff. And yelled some more.

They got to school just as the doors were closing. My son did not have his glasses (of course we couldn't find his old ones either, which have been on my dining room table since about January but suddenly are not there anymore) and I don't know how that worked out for him. His eyesight is not as bad as mine, but I get the feeling it's not so great either.

Of course, I am still sulking and feeling the bad mommy feelings. And wondering why decluttering is still so very hard for me.

Hi!

My evening, last night.

• 7:10pm Arrived home
  
• 7:15pm Nursed baby (Okay, he's a toddler. Whatever.) while watching Spongebob Squarepants
  
• 7:25pm Dinner. Mainly leftovers and food grubbed from a visit to the inlaws over the weekend. Tried in vain to instill conversation and manners into children who feel the need to stand on their chairs or walk away mid-sentence.
  
• 8:00pm Debated with husband about whether he should do laundry (sheets, towels, underwear, etc.). It's been 2.5 weeks since we last washed those categories, the Boy has been wearing my socks and I may have to go commando pretty soon).
  
• 8:15 Sat on bathroom floor wondering why hubby is allowing baby/toddler to walk through building hallways banging baseball bat on the floor. Hubby comes back to tell me downstairs neighbor complained. Duh?
  
• 8:25 Hubby decides to do laundry after all.
  
• 8:30ish After wandering around the apartment picking up various stray toys, papers, etc., decided to do 15 minutes in the hallway/dining room (which is Flylady's current Zone). I took the big basket that has been sitting on my table forever and decided I wanted it OFF my table. Sorted through it while watching wrestling with the Boy. Basket contained
  • several Christmas, birthday and anniversary cards from 2006
  • headset for cell phone that hubby never installed
  • blank thank you notecards from various kids bday parties
  • A few random already-WRITTEN thank you cards from various kids bday parties (UH. OOPS. Sorry. And thanks.)
  • Chunks of rock (coral?) from 2007 vacation
  • Art projects from school
  
  I was able to junk a lot of the cards (though I still kept a few), put away the blank cards, toss the thank yous that never got sent (sorry, REALLY), put the art projects in a different file (I want to get boxes to put away the best of the kids' schoolwork so I can toss the rest, I guess. Also need boxes for the cards I insist on saving).
  Now the basket is on a bookshelf and will be used for CURRENT stuff (ie, papers and mail that have to be dealt with within the week. That's the plan, anyway.
  
• 9:00ish Flipped mattress for the first time in, er, years. The Girl and the baby/toddler watch in amazement. Also, I put on clean sheets.
  
• Was thrilled not to worry about bedtimes since kids are off tomorrow.
  
• around 10:00ish Attention divided - 50% watching Boston Legal and 50% coloring with the Girl.
  

What I didn't do: Dishes. Now there's a sink full.