Year 2, Day 101 (Guest Blogger: Chrisinda Lukens)

Parenthood

We've hit that stage. There is always a stage with kids. But I think we've hit that stage where kids and parents start to act like alien species. What the heck happened?
It seems like just a few days ago I was cuddling J, now 8, while C and K, both 4, were snoozin' with bottles in the playpen. Instead, our days are now filled with fighting over Wii games, fighting over which movie is going in, fighting over who looked sideways at who, followed closely by the 3 of them in a pile laughing, and me ready to force choke the next person that whines.
We clash over everything. I try to make some special meal, and all I get is "why can't I have pizza?" Or I make my own pizza, dough and all, and I get "this doesn't look like from the pizza shop." It's the same with every little situation. Movies? I never buy the right ones. I never buy enough. I bought the wrong color shirt. Someone got something cooler.
And I suppose I am the same way. I'm pretty stubborn. I don't like to give in. Ever. I've tried to lighten up a little. Pick my battles. But anymore it seems like every little thing is a battle. Don't do this. Do this. Why did you do that? Why didn't you do this? Why is this laying here? How do you choose?
I've threatened so many times that they start listening or I am sending them off to military school. Even though they fully do not understand that. They have images of G I Joe. I have images of well behaved children.
When did I become such a grown-up?
I'm sorry, wait. What was I saying? I got momentarily distracted random C and K cuddles. And I'm running out of time. I need to claim my seat for Transformers. No one gets my spot. And I have a lightsaber battle scheduled for after bath. Comic book reading before bed. Hiking plans to make for this weekend.
Hang on. I forget where I was going with this....

So alright. Maybe we are on the same planet after all. Just different continents.

I love being a parent.

"Make no mistake of who I am. I can be good, but I'm no angel. It is a choice, depending on my mood. I am wicked & twisted. Push me hard enough and I'll show you."

This being one of Chrisinda's favorite quotes... and pretty much sums it up. Chrisinda is a single mom of 3 boys (2 of which are twins) and lives in rural Pennsylvania. She works as a Yoga/Zen Meditations Instructor, and also has three blogs: one for poetry, one for recipes, and one for just ranting... or whatever comes to mind. She can also be found on Twitter.