I wasn’t feeling very creative this morning, so I thought for this week’s Wednesday’s Walk I would dig deep and take you back…way back to my old blog and a post from March of 2006 entitled “Everywhere I turn…” It is a post about my now 4 year old and the havoc she managed to cause as a one man toddler wrecking crew. Later, she and her brother would become “Thing 1 & Thing 2“, but this was long before her brother was able to join in the fun. And, there is of course, a moral to this story, a lesson to be learned. If you’ve read The Me Time Myth, you will recognize the attitude that brought me to the writing of that article!
So, without further ado, I bring you:
Everywhere I turn…
there is a mess that my toddler made! She is the cutest little thing that ever was, but a day with her is like a day with a tornado (an adorable tornado, but a tornado nonetheless).
As I survey just the room I am sitting in, I can see a shoe on top of the computer desk, the index box full of names and numbers laying on the floor not so full of names and numbers anymore, and baby dolls left unattended about the area. She has systematically colored on EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF PAPER she can find and now she is unloading the bookshelf. I am afraid to see what she has accomplished in the rest of the house!
But, guess what I’m doing…I’m sitting here typing. Yep, that’s right…I’ve escaped into the world wide web and I am hiding here until the storm calms.
Seriously though, how often throughout the day do catastrophes happen that could have been avoided had we just been paying attention? I keep thinking someone owes me free time, but they never seem to pay up, so I just take it (often at the most inopportune times). And then I take too much free time and neglect my other chores and the next thing I know I turn around and the house is a mess, there’s nothing ready for supper, school didn’t quite get finished, and we have to be somewhere in 30 minutes! I turn into one grouchy mama and start bossing everyone around trying to get them to do in a matter of minutes what I should have been doing throughout the entire day. Then my melodramatic 8 year old runs through the house hollering, “It’s a MADHOUSE, A MADHOUSE!” (no, he’s never seen Planet of the Apes, but all it takes is one time of mama saying it in jest and it becomes his favorite phrase in times of stress ~lovely~).
So, my remedy for this is twofold:
#1–Watch the Weather
If the tornado is nearby and a storm’s a brewin’, then it is probably NOT a good time to run away w/ the internet, my sewing, my scrapbooking, or any other form of escape I may desire.
#2–Don’t Go Overboard
Set the timer and head for my hideout, but when the bell rings, I have to come home. This way I’m never overdoing it.
Welp, there went the timer…
Denise says
Thanks for making me smile.
Fruitful Harvest says
So true~
Kate says
I love this, I have a little tornado too, and my house is a wreck, but I don’t care!
Sally-Ann says
I think that many of us are sitting and typing a response to your post with a house that looks like a tornado went through – mine does! Thanks for making me realize that I am not alone!
April says
How so true! My son is just shy of 8 months. He is on the verge of crawling and he won’t be still in my arms anymore… little squirmer. I can only imagine what I am in for!! Thanks for sharing the laughs!
Kari @ p.s. love.love. says
I think our kids maybe related :o) Always nice to read that my daughter isn’t unique in her personality and ability to destroy the house in less than 7 seconds. Good read for today :o)
Linda says
Amy,…I can’t even imagine how hard it is to keep a house clean when a mother has several children, and she homeschools them. Let alone having to do household chores and cooking etc. And while also having constant interuptions from phone calls, or visitors that stop by.
I know Lynnette does it all too, but I just stand amazed at how it all gets done.
I find it hard enough to do my daily routines,…and I don’t have any kids at home anymore. And when I do have grandkids staying with me,…nothing gets done except giving attention to them!
I often wonder how any of you mothers get any blog posts written. Let alone reading other people’s posts and leaving comments!
I guess God justs gets you gals through each day by leading you step by step from one thing to the next.
I am old and tired now days,…but even when I was young I don’t think I could do all that you gals do.
I am sure that sometimes you do feel like a tornado has struck! ((smile))
But one thing I do know,….It is all worth it in the end. ((smile))
Blessings!
Linda @ Truthful Tidbits
Verna says
Sometimes it is not a toddler that causes a tornado in our household.
Have a great day.
Lynnette Kraft says
Boy can I relate to that! Okay, you’ve inspired me! I have an idea for a post tomorrow. You’ll have to wait and see… 🙂
I have Thing 1, Thing 2 and Thing 3… ha ha!
Lilyofthevalley - Tanya says
Thanks for sharing, I understand completely, I have some “tornadoes” around here too and I often am tempted to “escape” to the computer for a bit.
Julie@Tales of Two T's says
Great post! So the internet isn’t the answer?! I thought escape was good. Oh well…I have lots to learn.
Holly says
That’s happened to me before….doing things for myself and then the whole day gettin away from me. A timer is a good idea.