Tonight.

Until tonight happened, I was going to write about how just yesterday I was telling a new mom (that was complaining about unsolicited parenting advice/comments) that A) she will get used to it because it happens ALL.THE.TIME. and B) now that I have 3 kids I get far fewer of these comments because either people assume I know what I am doing or I just don't hear the comments because I am too distracted wrangling 3 kids! It's probably the latter. Definitely the latter. 

Because just this morning at the library it was pretty darn evident that I had NO CLUE what I was doing. Here's how it went down: I was reading 'Corduroy' to the girls while they were "telling" the story using the corresponding flannel board & pieces, when an older child came and took Corduroy's escalator. Charlotte was immediately distraught. (Admittedly, I was annoyed too). I calmly explained to Charlotte that she needed to use her words and ask for the piece back. She did. The other child said NO...and smiled.  Charlotte broke down into a puddle of tears. I tried to calm her by explaining that we could finish the story without the escalator. She wasn't having it. Her crying escalated to fit throwing levels which made it crystal clear that library time was OVER. 

As we were walking out, the other child put the escalator back. Meanwhile I am carrying Hannah plus a thousand pounds worth of library books while Charlotte trails behind screaming/crying. Fun times. Fun times had by all. But the part that really irritated me? This whole escalator scene played out right in front of the other child's caregiver (Grandma...if I had to guess) who did absolutely nothing to intervene! Frustrating. So very frustrating. And I felt completely clueless as to how I was supposed to handle the situation. 

Ok. So I guess I told that story in its entirety. Sorry. (But only kinda...) 

Now for the real story. Tonight while Joe was off doing his med student thing (on his first day in the ER!), I was at home patting myself on the back for doing such a stellar job solo parenting. 

The big kids were playing quietly in the girls' room while Hannah toddled around and I was cutting out a future sewing project. Dinner had been eaten & cleaned up. Two of the three kids were in jammies. The living room and playroom were a wreck! Toys everywhere. But who cares? I was doing good! We were doing good. Except one thing...the kids were quiet. Too quiet. The kind of quiet that stirs fear in a mother's heart...

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

...because it means trouble...

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Every single clothing item out of all three dressers + all the dress up clothes + one of Isaiah's drawers dumped out and mixed together. They were thorough! To add insult to injury, I had just emptied and organized Charlotte's dresser two days ago. Why?!? Why....