I'm really not as depressed as this post sounds

Chris and I are beginning to debate the pros and cons of leaving the children anywhere overnight ever again.

You see, we’re not sure the 24 hours of hell when they come back home are worth the 18 or so hours of time to ourselves we have.

This weekend was Chris’ 10-year class reunion.  I actually debated whether to go with him or not because my own reunion was kind of awkward.  Plus I wasn’t sure how many people I would know.  But luckily I remembered that a really good friend of mine graduated with Chris so I was good to go.  (Let’s hear it for being almost elderly and forgetful.)

Both of the kids have been a little irritable lately, which doesn’t surprise me since I think the change in weather messes with their funk.  Or funks them up.  Or puts them in a funk.  Or something.  But the drop off was good.  Sebastian loves to go see both sets of grandparents, especially since it means he’s leaving the house.   And Adele was content, which isn’t always the case when I leave her field of vision.

Chris picked them back up Sunday afternoon, and everything seemed to be going okay at first.  But then the familiar short-tempered, angry, volatile personalities showed up, mostly with Sebastian.  It’s like he enjoys himself but he also needs to let us know that he missed us.  He does this by gaining all of our attention, which apparently is accomplished by grinding pieces chalk into the carpet after we ask him to pick them up.  The carpet we cleaned a month ago.  This went over extremely well, as you can imagine.  

Actually this behavior has been the norm for the last couple of weeks.  Or maybe even the last 6 months.  It’s just to what degree it is amplified.  Staying away from us cranks it way up.

Sebastian will push every button and turn everything into an argument.  And this behavior is magnified by his refusal to take the nap he desperately needs.  He’s started refusing to lay down in his bed, or getting out of it when he knows he’s supposed to, or sometimes refusing to even get in the bed at all.  But I’m not giving up.  I still have a little power left and the more he fights, the longer he’s staying upstairs in that damn bed.  He NEEDS a nap.  It is obvious because when he doesn’t take one everything is THAT MUCH HARDER.  

I know the behavior is because he’s growing and learning his boundaries and then testing them with a Chuck Norris roundhouse kick.  But man, could we cool it a little bit, please?

And Adele isn’t innocent.  She’s been fighting her naps too, at least the afternoon.  I end up going upstairs over and over again, to tell Sebastian to get back in bed, to nurse Adele some more, to take away the toy Sebastian got out of bed to pick up, to read Adele another story.  

Adele also has been waking up in the middle of the night again.  Thank goodness for that because I didn’t know what to do with myself with a full night’s rest.

(Ahem.)

I’ve heard that there’s a period of time in a child’s life where everything becomes a little bit easier for the parents.  I think it’s supposed to start around 5 or 6 and last until about 10 or 11.  

But then it’s supposed to suck again.  

(Yay.)

Plotting ways to make me lose my mind.