Monday, August 01, 2005

Two Sides of the Same Coin

The last post notwithstanding, I do love my children. Really. It's just that sometimes they demand so much of me that I feel like something is sucking the marrow from my bones.

Last night, the Bunny showed up at my bedside at about 3:15. So, by a conservative estimate, I had been asleep for less than 4 hours. Poor kid, her birthday is rolling up fast, and she is getting too excited to sleep. And she truly could not sleep. She lay in bed with us, flopping and trying to be quiet, until Mr. Sweetie's alarm went off at 5:15--then she went downstairs to play computer games or something.

I did manage to sleep from about 6:15 until 7, when my alarm went off. This is where the bone marrow thing comes in--after my head exploded over FOOD! less than 6 hours later--six hours where it was reasonable to expect at least some sleep--I was dealing with a child again.

I hate admitting it--I hate it that parenting chews me up so badly. Especially since I have wonderful kids who really are good sports. The Bunny TRIED to get back to sleep, and even when she couldn't, she was quiet and unfussy. The whole FOOD! thing was not malicious, or even intentional--it was clearly my failing. Thank God that I didn't get colicky or difficult kids--I think I would not be here today.

So, just to contrast my Bad Day yesterday, today the kidlets went to an all day camp. On the drive home, they were making up stories about our dog. In this story, he became "Dr. Lemon von Lemonypants."

The Bunny: (speaking in character) I am Dr. Lemon von Lemonypants. Step into my office, and we can begin to discuss your child's future.

Me: Dr. Lemonypants is a child psychiatrist?

The Bunny: No. Vice Principal!

I cracked up. I couldn't help it! The Bunny's vice principal is a wonderful woman who is also the mother of one of the Bunny's best friends. She doesn't have experience of being called into the office for disciplinary purposes, and Mr. Sweetie and I have not been either. I don't know where she gets this stuff.

However, she now has a confusing response to the oft asked question of what we call "Bermondsey" for a nickname: Dr. Lemon von Lemonypants.

3 comments:

Suefunky said...

Bermondsey will fit in well with his cousin Otto Von Bisquits The Brian, also known as Mr. Otto T. (Tootie) Potts, or Mr. Potts for short.

cmhl said...

you are freaking me out--- you are saying my thoughts exactly. parenting does indeed make me feel like it is sucking the marrow out of my bones. Not that I would trade it! but you know..

Amy Adams said...

Well, M, that's it, isn't it? The marrow-sucking nature of parenting. When I was pregnant, people told me my life was going to change and there was no way to prepare for it.

They might have warned me about the marrow sucking, though.