1. Corbin screaming, "ELLIE! ELLIE! I WANT MY OTHER ELLIE"
2. The radio blaring, which was my desperate attempt to overcome the wailing tantrum of a three year old.
Yes, this morning I had the "nerve" to go back into my locked house, grab Corbin's Ellie (stuffed elephant) upon request, and then hand it to him. Unfortunately, I had grabbed the wrong Ellie. Ellie's identical twin sister, also named Ellie, was apparently the one Corbin wanted. Silly me! Because of my unimaginable mistake, I was reminded that the only vehicle distraction probably more dangerous than simultaneously texting and putting on mascara is that of a screaming child.
The one lucid thought that came to my mind during that drive was, "When is this going to get easier?"
But this morning, like many days, I have to remind myself not to focus on all of the butt wiping, all of the Cheerio picking-uping, and all of the "For the one gaziollionth time--biting your brother is not okay!"ing-- and instead to focus on the sweet and often hilarious moments that will, all too soon, be gone. Here are some of those moments:
1. The freedom of underwear running: Hudson's new favorite thing to do is to strip down to nothing but his little superhero undies. He then says, "Mommy, say your words." I shout, "Ready, set, go!" He runs around the house pumping his skinny arms while Corbin acts like a crocodile trying to run him off the racetrack. Pretty cute now, but I'm absolutely sure it won't be cute in 15 years. Trust me--I've witnessed one too many college track meets for my liking.
2. Innocent potty talk: Today Corbin went potty and looked up at me with a big smile and said, "Look, I pointed it down! And made lots of bubbles! Are you so proud of me?" Pride might be a stretch, but I was certainly thrilled to not have to go over proper peeing position for the third time in two hours. And I was quite impressed with the number of bubbles.
3. Thinking that Mommy is a princess: A few months ago I put on a dress, and Hudson exclaimed, "Mommy's a princess!" To which I replied, "Yes, yes I am a princess. It's about time someone realized this!" The boys have taken to calling me Princess Mommy from time to time, which I must admit, never gets old.
4. Ellie: The subject of today's tantrum--that little gray elephant (and her twin) full of germs that has caused me anxiety, lost time, and even tears. Ellie, formerly known as Mr. Elephant and whose history can be found in my December 2011 blog post, has been a faithful lovey even though she's been subjected to snot, biting, throw up, and even a gender shift. Yet, I can't bear to imagine the day she is thrown in the toy box, hidden behind strewn clothes, or dumped in the donation pile.
As I think back to Corbin's tantrum this morning, I can't help but think of another tantrum. This one from a girl that involved a lot of screaming and tears and even the breaking of a closet door. Except that girl was 17 years old, not 3. Not one of my all-star moments. Unfortunately, I think it's pretty clear that this parenting thing might get different in the coming years, but it certainly won't get any easier. But even with that gloomy forecast, I will find comfort in one simple fact: My reign as Princess Mommy continues, at least for another day.
And don't even think about rolling your eyes . . .
