This is what I looked like when I left the house today. (New haircut courtesy of my beautiful friend Andrea.)
Things were going okay, even though it took me pretty much all morning to finish my February meal menu and Meijer shopping list for today. We were going to meet Luke for a free lunch at Denny’s, and then do our Meijer trip, and then come home for nap time.
I probably should have taken a picture of what I looked like when I got home, just for the sake of comparison. My hair was not in place (not the right place anyway!), my cheeks were red, my back was aching…Let’s just say the day didn’t go quite as planned.
First, I was late dropping of a video to the library, so I’m probably going to have to pay them $1. I’m not sure the rental was worth $1, which is why I got it from the library and not the video store. Oh, well!
Then, we met Luke at Denny’s, because today all Denny’s restaurants nationwide (besides ONE particular location, I believe), were giving a free Grand Slam meal to every customer between 6am and 2pm. Good deal, ‘eh? Yeah, except we didn’t factor in the LINE. And who wants to stand outside in a long line waiting with three small, cold children while other people eat their pancakes and bacon? Not us. So we spent $10 at McDonald’s instead. (And that’s the dollar menu, folks. I thought McD’s was CHEAP! Does anybody remember when they’d have special days when hamburgers were $.39??? I digress…)
The kids and I finally got to to Meijer around 2pm. I’ll give you a very simple toddler equation: 2pm = naptime. A wonderful friend of ours let us in on the secret that the Meijer bakery gives a free cookie to children while you shop, so we took advantage of that today. (Thanks, Kathy!) The kids enjoyed their heart-shaped cookies with red sprinkles while I pushed around a limo-sized cart gathering foodstuffs for the month. I have a detailed list when I do my monthly trip, so it takes forever. And the kids don’t like to take forever. Eventually they get cranky, especially when it was naptime before we even walked in the automatic doors. That was definitely a lack of judgment on my part.
We finally (FINALLY) made it to the checkout, after a nice visit to our friends the “monsters” (i.e. lobsters) in the seafood department. I don’t know why, but checking out makes me really warm. I’m serious. I think it’s because I try to do it really fast so the kids can’t cause too much trouble with the magazine/candy racks or the little belt thingies that they string across the lanes when they’re closed. (My kids think they’re seat belts for their cart bench.) Anyway, as I was huffing and puffing along with our month’s worth of food, let’s just say one of the kids had a potty accident.
I can’t bear to tell the details.
But I made it home. The kids even got to come with me. 
And now they’re tucked soundly in their beds for the night.
And I’m trying to remember that circumstances don’t make me a failure as a mother, even when it feels like it. My messy house, and mini-van with smooshed kid food on the floor, and piles of laundry to get done, and…All of that doesn’t make me a failure as a mother, even though it often feels like it does.
My kids probably won’t even remember the messiness when they’re older. But they’ll remember if their mommy was willing to spend time being with them, playing with them, teaching them to love Jesus. That’s the stuff that I really hope I get right.
Lacey you are great mother … i love watching you with your kids … they are cute and i could tell you were stressed but its always nice to see you with that great big smile …
You are not a failure and rough mommy moments don’t make you a failure, even if we do feel like it while they’re happening (I have them probably once a day.) I’m glad you’re still liking your hair! I’m glad to know about the whole free cookie for the kids at Meijer – I may have to use that at times.
Do you do all your shopping in one trip for the entire month? I am still learning with all this. At the moment I can do a 2-week menu, but I’m not to an entire month yet. Good for you!
I will add my voice to those bestowing the title of great mother upon you. Shopping with three toddlers at nap time while pregnant is simply impossible. Let super nanny try that one and she will sound like an FBI tape of the governor of Illinois.
Awww, poor Lacey. Been there, done that, so many times I won’t even count. Try pushing FOUR children in two carts – children in one cart with the oldest hanging on to the cart with the groceries in it. We really looked comical, but it got the job done. I just hated going out in the evening when Daddy was home to watch the kids. So, I took them all with me. Wish we lived closer (and it is going to get worse), I would love to watch them while you shopped – or better yet, you watch them and I will do the shopping. I love spending money, especially if it isn’t mine! You are an AMAZING mother. I love you and the job you are doing with my grandchildren. Believe me, you will look back and laugh at that day – “someday.” I know I do! Remember Betsey’s first hair cut on family picture day? Remember Betsey flying across the parking lot on her face because she had sticky hands that her “mother” didn’t wash off. Boy, I have a million of them. Hmmm, I wonder why all the stories start with Betsey. This is too long – I could go on forever. We love you and today WILL be a better day.
BTW, love the hair cut. You are beautiful. Luke sure has good taste (he probably got that from his father). Love you!
Ha! My kids called lobsters “monsters” as well. We had a tub toy lobster, and no bath was complete without the monster. On the other hand, my oldest was always afraid of the lobster tank at the store, and my youngest always loved it.
I’m not very far removed from where you are in raising kids, I *well* remember that age. It gets easier, I promise. Someday you’ll even miss it.
The checkout line at Meijer’s ALWAYS makes me really hot too- what IS it about that? So I shed my coat and various layers only have to put them all on again to walk out into the freezing cold Michigan weather!
Thanks for your candid-ness!
Stressful days always give me “losermommyitis” too ! I don’t know how women keep up that are at work all day. I am always here and it’s still a struggle to fit everything in . Laundry is my constant bother ,it’s always there piling up everywhere. Keep you head up, they grow fast!
Amen sister! Forget having a spic and span house; it’s all about quality time with the kiddos.
Thanks for coming over to my lil blog, and for all the compliments too! Oh, and the reason I look so “good” in our first pic together is because I had a scheduled c-section (she was a breach baby, head up).
Oh, and does Andrea give everyone haircuts now? That girl cracks me up!
At least you looked very cute the whole day with that haircut! Don’t hesitate to give me a call even if it is during naptime. I would love to watch the kids sleep as you go shopping!
I like your last couple of thoughts, and I think they are exactly right. The way your kids are turning out, you and Luke OBVIOUSLY are doing a LOT of things right!
And you call lobsters “monsters.” And you visit them when you grocery shop. That alone makes you cool.
Mom – wow. Glad to know I am the example for proving that other people couldn’t possibly have as frenzied of moments with their kids as you did with me. Glad I could be there for you. I do what I can. Hope the nephews and nieces appreciate the time I put into that.
Love,
Betsey