Productive? Or Counterproductive?

So much of what I do is counterproductive.

I started this morning with doing the dishes. Mary was climbing on the dishwasher door while I put the dishes in. I used to fight these things...not anymore. It just gets tiring. I found myself putting cups back in that she had taken out, trying to watch her and make sure she doesn't fall, all while loading the dishwasher. She started crying because I took something away from her and so I gave up. I took her off the dishwasher door and shut it. I'll come back later. So I sit with her on the couch. Give her some attention. She jumped off and started playing. Whew.

Ben wanted orange juice. I put a little in a cup and told him to stay at the end table. Mary grabbed the cup as I was on my way beck into the kitchen and spilled it on the carpeting. Ben cries at Mary for spilling his drink and asks for more. This time I was smart and put him at the kitchen table. I go to clean up the juice which will always leave a piece of itself with my carpeting, I'm sure. It's joining my nice collection of dripping sippy cups of milk and apple juice along with whatever ground in food is in there. In a way, it's a comfort knowing my carpeting is old and totally imperfect. I'm waiting for Mary to turn 4 before we replace it.

I finished up the dishes and then start on making some peanut butter balls. Notice I said "making" not "baking". That's because this batch is a no-bake treat. You've probably heard of it "Chocolate Peanut Butter Crispy Balls". Mmmmm...peanut butter mixed with butter and Rice Krispies and topped with melted chocolate chips. You cool them in the fridge and that's it! Well, Mary hunted me down and cried at my feet while I'm attempting to assemble these balls. I have peanut butter gook all over my hands and she's got her arms wrapped around my legs begging for attention. I continue on. Sometimes I just drag her along with me as I move about the room to accomplish my task. She was distracted with the cabinets a couple of times so that was good. But finally, she couldn't take it anymore. I finished the job and then held her.

Mary just seemed to be way to crabby and clingy. I decided to lay her down. Now I can get things done much easier! I decided the floor needed a good scrubbing. It was pretty gross. I have a laminate floor in my Kitchen and Breakfast Room. When it needs a good cleaning, I take a small bucket of hot water and get on my hands and knees. I use the Pampered Chef stone scraper (that thing has hardly ever seen a stone) and use it for all the stubborn, dried up stuff. It works wonders. Anyway, Ben comes along and wants his own scrubber. So I look around for one and can't find one. I end up giving him a scrub brush with a handle. I thought that would be fun. He's dunking his brush in the water and spreading puddles all over the floor. *sigh* (God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the peace of mind to get through it all!!!). I abandoned the project. When I leave, he will. He did. Then I came back and started again. So did he. I thought, oh well, I'll clean it up later...at least he's happy. I did get my floor clean. As best as I could anyway. My body was getting tired from all the elbow grease.

Now I'm taking a break. Writing this blog. There is peace in the house as Mary sleeps and Ben is fiddling with the VCR. I don't feel like checking this out. Oh...now he's playing his favorite train video. All by himself! Ahhh...God gives us little delights in the middle of a hectic day. It's like He's saying, "See! It's not all that bad!" Yes. And look what I accomplished!

It's just odd to know some people do these things with little thought at how easily they did it. I have a friend whose kids are all in school. ALL DAY! No one is at home but her! And she doesn't work! Can you imagine??? Sometimes she'll complain about all that she has to do and I think, "You have oodles of time to do this stuff and no one in your way! What are you complaining about?" To be able to have so much focus on what you want to accomplish....*dreamylook*. I know my time will come. I know they aren't young forever. In the meantime, I'll continue to shower with kids at my feet, eat my meals with a million interruptions of needs or someone in my lap, go to the bathroom while a child is playing with the toilet paper, do dishes or make dinner with a little ones arms wrapped around my legs, etc...etc...

It's not that I didn't get anything done. I did. And it feels good to accomplish these things. But I just wish it wouldn't have to be so hard to do the simplest things. Oh shame on you, Missy, for throwing yourself such a pity part! No one enjoys them but you! Even if it's a party of one, sometimes I just need to vent. Thanks for listening.