Morning Chaos

We had our first stressful morning of 2011, part of which I laid the groundwork for last night. I have been preparing lunches and laying out clothes the night before, but Grey's Anatomy sucked me in. I went to bed at midnight only to have Camden get in the bed at some point. Scout also got up at 5:30 for about an hour, so by the time Lawson crawled in bed with me at 7:30, I couldn't resist snuggling with him for a few minutes. The poorly-oiled wheels of our machine were set in motion forty-five minutes later than normal.

Because there was no time for coffee (never a good sign), I started pouring bowls of Cocoa Puffs. Camden was in a foul mood due to a distressing dilemma over which toy to bring for "show and tell" and repeatedly whined he didn't want breakfast. As I fought off the overwhelming flashback to my own childhood and choked down the delayed sympathy for my parents, I poured him a bowl despite his protests. Bad Idea Jeans (early nineties SNL commercial, anyone?). He lost his temper and shoved the bowl away, sending it crashing to the floor, where it subsequently exploded into a thousand tiny pieces of porcelain.

His saucer eyes and instant declaration of "I didn't mean to" helped keep me calm, and Jason thankfully swooped in to take him to his room before my shock wore off. The remaining twenty-five minutes of the morning were a blur of crying, protesting, hiding, and spilling liquids on the kitchen floor as we rushed to feed, clothe, and brush the teeth of the whole crew. Unfortunately, we rolled out ten minutes later than the previous three days--even after I sacrificed my own personal hygeine and dignity by neglecting to wash my face or brush my teeth and wearing one of Jason's old tee shirts with capri pajamas and shoes with no socks (brrrr! I do not recommend this on 35 degree mornings).

On the way to school, I prayed fervently with my kids that they would all have good days despite the rough start. Then I silently prayed the teacher who chatted with me while she got Lawson and Hudson out of their seats doesn't have a keen sense of smell, considering my unbrushed teeth and lack of deodorant. Hopefully Train Wreck Mommy has left the station for a while, and Monday brings Got It All Together Mom out of hiding for a rare public appearance.