Monday, November 29, 2010

How Do People Have Two Kids?

Today was supposed to be a rather simple day, except that everything became increasingly complicated once I woke up.

Ari slept in til 9:00am. We needed to go to Target to use a diaper coupon. When I realized what time it was I rushed out of bed, quickly fed him and myself, downed some coffee and attempted to dress him in the kitchen. He refused to get dressed.

"I don't want the blue one!" He said pointing at the long sleeved blue shirt I was attempting to put over his head. "I want black and white!" He continued gesturing at the black and white striped sweater that I'd planned to layer over the dreaded blue shirt.

I kindly explained that he had to put the blue shirt on first before wearing the sweater. He tried to protest, but I ignored his whining and threw the clothes over his head while he continued to scream.

The plan was to go to Target, get diapers and then head to the library for story time where we would meet up with his friend Miles.

As soon as we got out of the house he asked:
"Where's Miles?"
"We're going to see him in about a half hour," I said grinding my teeth in frustration. "We have to get diapers first." I explained.
"Diapers?" He asked
"Yes." I replied
"I want Miles." He said unconvinced.

I ignored his pleas for Miles and we headed to Target. I got the box of diapers and zoomed to the library. At the library, he decided that instead of listening to the story and singing songs, he wanted to remove as many books from the shelves and throw them onto the floor. I was too tired to stop him. I finally did stop him when the librarian exclaimed:
"You better stop that! I have to clean all those books up!"

After the library and a muffin break with Grandpa at a local coffee shop, we arrived home.
That was when the true drama began.

Ari wanted to carry this box of diapers up the stairs:

I told him that it was too heavy for him, but he insisted. So I said:
"Alright fine! Go ahead. Try!"
Of course, he couldn't do it. So I helped him carry it up each step, one by one.
When we were almost at the top of the stairs he said:
"Downstairs!"
He wanted to bring the enormous box of diapers back down the stairs that we had taken painstaking measures to bring up the stairs.

This was too much for me to handle. So I seized the box of diapers from him and walked up the remaining stairs ahead of him. He started to scream:
"No, mine! Mine!" And began crying.

He was so upset that he decided to throw these shoes:

Down this flight of stairs:

I was so exasperated at this point, I cannot even begin to tell you. I demanded that he go down the stairs and collect his shoes, which he begrudgingly did, but then he screamed:
"I need help!"
"What do you need help with?!" I asked ready to lie on the floor and surrender to the parenting gods.
"Carry me!"

So I dragged my 170 lb pregnant self down the stairs and carried him up our apartment.

I think I'd like to call it a day, but he's only just begun:


Have you ever had a day like this?

16 comments:

  1. My morning was similar - except I was up at 5:00 with a little girl who wouldn't wear underwear, wouldn't wear pants and was NOT going to be told what to have for breakfast!

    I think dealing with a two-year-old is much more difficult than an infant. It's overwhelming at first, but I'm slowly figuring out when each kid really needs attention and when one kid can just wait for a few minutes. My pediatrician once told me, "It's OK to let the baby cry." And that has saved me so much frustration in the past four months.

    Hope you have a great afternoon!

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  2. I love you Jill! Thank you! Your day sounds really challenging too. Why don't they want to wear clothes?

    Your pediatrician knows what's up. It's true, a two year old will emotionally knock you to the ground. An infant just needs food, sleep and love.

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  3. This post makes me not want to have another kid....

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  4. That's what I'm saying! But it's too late for me...here I go with #2!

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  5. Lol!! Aww!! Yea they woke up at TEN! (So of course I did too. Actually I think I woke up first. :\) Yea toddlers are like that; IMPOSSIBLE! I have to get to the bank today, the one we went to had no power so I came home to find another one and still have not gotten out. :P Zalah said "Ari looks great!" lol!!!

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  6. poor you. kids are brutally irritating, and so much harder to take when you are preg. last night we went to my parents for my bday dinner. they fought over toys for the first 30m. then at dinner, my 3yr old refused to eat anything. my one year old ate a bit then threw a bit then ate a bit then threw a bit. finally i said that if the 3yr old didnt try a bite of his dinner then no cake. of course he didnt eat any of his dinner, but when cake came around he was starving....but my mother reminded me that i said no cake unless he ate some of his dinner. "he is just pushing his boundaries, and if you give in to him, it will be detremental in the long run." I let him have some cake and will probably never hear the end of it from my mother....happy birthday to me....

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  7. Oh yea! I forgot about the two kid part. Yea, that's rough. They never want to leave and I wonder if I should just carry one to the car first and then the other or struggle with two who will run away when I put one down. At least one you can fight and have better odds of winning. >:) They are like a little team so it's good and bad, depending on who they are teaming against! But that's two toddlers. A baby and a toddler will have it's own challenges and benefits. (Baby can't run in the opposite direction just yet!! But you always have to hold them, and that slows your running after the other one down!)

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  8. Sara- First of all- Happy Birthday! Wow, that sounds so freakin' annoying! Sometimes you're just too tired and you give in. I don't blame you about the cake. A similar thing happened to Ari over Thanksgiving. He refused to eat anything but a cupcake. I feel your pain. Oh grandmothers, they mean well.

    Cordy- 10!! Wow! Hope you made it to the bank! Yeah, the infant can't run it's true. But I could see how that would slow you don't. Girl, I don't know how you do it. Ari said "I love Zalah, I love Lyla." today.

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  9. to me it sounds like nap time. I hate mornings like that, it makes for long days

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  10. Oh yes. Nap time indeed! Too bad he didn't want to nap today! Hooray!

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  11. That sounds so much like fights I have with my son minus the pregnant part. I feel your pain. Hope ya'll had a Happy Thanksgiving.

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  12. Oh man, I'm glad you understand but sad for you, Otter! It is HARD to deal with an irrational toddler. Happy belated Thanksgiving to you guys!

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  13. I've had many days like this. I think that's why I hesitate having another.

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  14. Jackie- Kids are challenging, it's true! I am about to learn how to deal with more than one. I'll keep you posted!

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  15. A friend gave us a bag of Duplo AKA big lego, which looked like a hit until he proceeded to launch each piece through the gate and down the stairs. Then he grabbed anything he could find: shoes, pillows. Honestly if he could have lifted a chair, he would have tossed it down the stairs. OMG! And I haven't even started with the biting, which is driving me totally insane. But he's cute just like your guy who is Adorable with a captial A. As for how do people have two? I have NO CLUE. NOT A ONE. Good luck. You'll be fine. LOL.

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  16. I realized I never replied to this! OY! I could see Ari launching legos down the stairs too. Why are kids so creatively destructive?!

    Yeah, I now HAVE two and I still don't get it. My parents did it. It must be possible..

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