"Special" Moments

Four "graduated" from the 3 year old preschool program this morning.  To start my morning off right, the older two barely managed to make their buses.  They didn't even brush their teeth, which drives me batty.  I woke up this morning to the realization that I had forgotten to buy donuts last night for the donut social part of the graduation.  Thankfully, Jim decided he would come to the graduation and agreed to pick up the donuts and meet us there.  All in all, it went off well.  We got in line at her school early enough to ensure we could sit at the bottom of the bleachers.  The presentation was cute, and after wards Four picked out an extra yummy sprinkle donut. Jim grabbed Cinco and headed outside to make some phone calls. Three was first in line and picked up a chocolate donut.  We calmly went over and set our stuff down and they happily ate. Perfect, right?  When Three asked if he could have a second donut, I decided sure, why not?  It's a celebration, so don't be Joy Kill Mom.  But Three ALWAYS feels the need to push the envelope, so instead of coming back with one donut, he comes back with two.  Which, OF COURSE, he can't finish.  >.< 
Jim heads off to work, and I snap some pics of Four with her teacher.  We throw away the uneaten donuts and head out to the car.  After a brief melt down at the car regarding who was getting in first, we head off. Since I had forgotten to get teacher presents, we head to Starbucks to get some giftcards. The car ride is full of whining and fighting and complaining.  We pull into Starbucks, and Three complains!  My kids NEVER complain about Starbucks!  But, in classic Three fashion, he is trying to up the ante and get in a trip to Target. In Starbucks, I purchase the gift cards and wait for the world's slowest Barista to make my tea/lemonade (apparently mixing tea and lemonade and shaking is a challenge for some).  Which means Three and Four, who are happily on a donut-y sugar buzz,  have managed to disappear.  I find them calmly sitting at a table drinking their milk.  Since they seem to be on their best behavior, I grab a seat on the couch to try and feed a hungry, fussy Cinco.  What was I thinking?!?! I always feel like I'm getting dirty looks when I breastfeed in public, but it was relatively empty, so if the 2 or 3 people in there were really bothered by it, oh well. Three and Four decide to take this moment to try and sit on every chair in the place.  I nix that, and then nix Four's idea of standing on the couch. So, she leaves me, goes over to an upholstered arm chair and begins using it as a trampoline.  >.<   All while Cinco is NOT breastfeeding well.  It is one thing to breastfeed in public, it is another to keep having to latch a baby every minute in public.  After deciding I had had enough fun, I put a now happy smiling Cinco in her seat, gather up my now calm ruffians and head to the car. 

Now I am a major crank.  I can't say I'm upset with Three and Four - they are just kids acting like kids who have just had donuts.  But, at the same time, all I can think is "GAH! Leave me alone!"  I can't be the only one who feels this way.  I know it happens in parenthood.  Just because I chose to have five kids doesn't mean I have to have patience.  I'm totally uninterested in the unhelpful comments of "Well then you shouldn't have had five"  or "If you were this way with two, then you shouldn't have had five".  

This month has been a month of feeling totally overwhelmed by my life.  I am ready to have an organized life, to have kids who are treated in a consistent manner.  I am ready to not bottle up my frustrations inside of me until I reach the "Leave me alone!" stage.  Starting...


NOW!