Thursday, April 19, 2007

Dinner Time Chaos......

Well I thought I would start with some dinner time moments from yesterday....It seems that getting dinner on the table is one of my greatest challenges since having Lila....Something you should know about me...I LOVE to cook and making food is one of the ways I relax and express what little creative energy......Well anyway my own selfishness gets in the way at dinner time these days....In my mind I feel I should be able to cook w/o interruptions, everything should go smoothly, girls will be angels, with dinner arriving at the table on time (Most of the time)....not the case these days....dinner time has become a big frustration due to my high expectations of the way it should be....I know, I know I need to lower my expectations and I am working on that....another thing you should know....Kiara and Mikiah love to help at dinner time they enjoy sitting on the counter and watching me cook....recently I have started to let them do more, they get items out of the pantry and the fridge for me...they love being able to help. Well now they insist that they want to do more, stirring, mixing, tasting and touching everything are their new favorite things to do while sitting on the counter..

....back to yesterday....We started dinner at 5.20pm and should have been done by 6.00pm.....a simple pasta dish.....It started by letting the girls pour marinara into the pot, lets just say we had to wipe the counter down when they were done pouring (I know I know they are only 2.5, but hey it helps them learn and I was ok with cleaning up the mess).....we got everything on the stove and I felt we are going to be eating on time and then of course Lila starts crying.....she wants to be fed (she is going through her 6 week growth spurt and wants to eat all the time)...so I get dinner to a spot where it can just simmer....I get the girls off the counter and this wasn't easy as neither of them wanted down so the screaming, kicking and whining began....which I ignored and sat down to feed Lila....during her feeding I had the pleasant background noise of "I want back on the counter"...."I want to watch cooking"...."Now Mommy!!!"...."Put Lila down!" and so on....I put Lila down after her feeding, she had dozed off, Yeah....So I am still thinking we can do this and we will only be a little late.....I put MJ back on the counter and Kiara had pushed the dog food bin up to the counter and was standing on it to help....it was going pretty well until Lila started crying...she loves to be held so I picked her up and by the time I came back to the kitchen, Kiara had pushed the dog food bin against the stove and counter...way to close to the cooking that was going on....So I told her she was too close and pushed it back to where it was and she exploded....screaming "No mommy, No mommy"....talk about attitude...Try to explain to your toddler about hot stoves when they are screaming at the top of their lungs...."Deep breath" was all I was thinking "Take a deep breath"....I finally got her to calm down and tried to explain in my best Toddlerese (Tot language) that the stove was no place for her to be....she finally agreed...of course this took another 10 min...I finally had her do something else to make her feel included...set the table...she was happy to do that...So I look at the clock while holding Lila and trying to finish dinner....6.20pm....Yeah is what I was thinking...Shawn will be home soon to take Lila off my hands and I will finish dinner....(he had thought he would be home at 6.00pm and he is usual a little late)....I check the computer and he is still on IM...Crap he is not on his way home, no rescue for this mom...I ping him...he will try to hurry home...I look back at the stove and Kiara is there again, standing on the dog food container...UGH!...Atleast this time she listens when I tell her that we need to move her back away from the stove....So anyway I am about to put Lila in the baby carrier to finish dinner...and I look down at her and she has drifted off from all the movement...I quickly lay her down...realizing I am sure she will be up as soon as I lay her down....I dart into the kitchen and make a mad dash to finish dinner....So after a few meltdowns by the twins, some crying and neediness from Lila...it was time for dinner....lets just say....I was holding Lila (she again was awake and crying, not wanting to swing or sit in her papasan chair, just wanting mom) eating dinner with the girls the clock read 6.45 and Shawn still wasn't home....

You are probably thinking some of the madness could have been avoided....and your right.....I could try to keep my kids out of the kitchen when I cook....I know this, but its a way for them to learn and they look forward to it.....and I do have the patience for their 'Messes' and 'Helping'......What I don't have patience for is the wining, crying, and big girl attitude that comes from both of them when they dont want to listen.......its a daily battle and the saga continues........

So my lesson for today is have to have more patience and lower my expectations at dinner time......We will have to see how tonights dinner goes.....although I will have some relief...Grandma Paula will be here soon to babysit....Tomorrow is my 10 hour work day....I can't tell you how I sometimes look forward to being away from the craziness of home and kids on those days...I sure hope Grandma Paula doesn't quit after tomorrow....It will be her 1st time alone with all three....

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks Pooh, You make my day. Good stuff! No reason for me ever to complain after reading about your day. You write well, I can picture everything. This Blog stuff is awesome. I can keep up with your family. I am glad you have the patience to let them help. It is very good. Love you!

Anonymous said...

who is your dead beat husband, and why isn't he home helping put out fires!?

Anonymous said...

oh kaelee...i pictured your whole kitchen fiasco in my mind...i know how you feel...i was making tacos the other night, and had two kids with meltdowns...it is very hard to balance everything! i think it's great that you let the twins help...they'll probably be great cooks just like their mommy!