Being a stay-at-home mommy to a 3 year old, while rewarding, is more challenging than anything else.  Luckily for me I’ve always had a lot of patience.  Or at least I thought I did, until Alivia turned 3 and started to prove me wrong.  And while there are days I’d like to curl up in a ball, suck my thumb, and cry myself to sleep, most days I try to see the humor in things.  I try to step out of my body as if I were an outsider watching us on TV.  I try to imagine the genre we’d fit it into on each particular day.  For instance, one day on my way upstairs to see what Alivia was doing, I found Vaseline all over her face, neck, clothes and, yep, in her hair.  It was awesome having to scurry to clean her up as we had plans to go out.  Yes, I’m being facetious.  On that day, I’d say we were a comedy; the two of us!  See, I can be easy going.  While “the episode” was rather inconvenient, who wouldn’t have laughed at the sight of their toddler all greased up with that “deer in headlights” expression on their face while mommy repeatedly asked “why would you do this?” as if it could be rationalized.  Seriously?  Of course, I’d take those days over serious ones any time.  In fact, days like those are a break from what seems to be the norm these days.  The norm being Livi doing something she’s not supposed to and mommy having to put her in her room.  If you read, Crying, and whining, and tantrums, oh my, I’m sure you know exactly what I’m talking about.  It’s been a struggle for the both of us lately. 

And I’m not sure how I still manage to find the humor in things that would normally have me checking myself into the nearest insane asylum, but I do.  And when I find myself taking everything too seriously, I know it’s time to take a breather and write a poem?

I’D SAY I NEED A VACATION IF MY KID WEREN’T SUCH A TRIP

Yesterday I removed a bunch of Play-Doh from her nails
And today a gooey substance I think was from a meal

Then earlier she handed me a dried up piece of something
Apparently a piece of skin from the thumb that she’s been sucking

A minute ago she was dancing to some music on TV
And the hair I just pulled back is in her eyes and she can’t see

As I’m typing this very sentence, she’s picking at her lip
I’d say I need a vacation if my kid weren’t such a trip

She takes out all her toys at once and spreads them on the floor
It’s an obstacle course in my living room when it never was before

Now she’s whining loudly and refusing to wash her hands
With her pants around her ankles in the bathroom where she stands

Then she’s climbing on my legs, my stomach, and my head
I ask her if there’s something else she’d rather do instead

Now I’m chasing her with a water bottle shouting “please just have a sip”
I’d say I need a vacation if my kid weren’t such a trip

And now I see she’s all dressed up in her favorite princess dress
The one that leaves a trail of glitter; what a fu@#ing mess

She’s asking me for the millionth time “can I have a cookie please”
And for M&Ms, and cupcakes too, and other foods like these

Then at me comes a foot you see, and I’m sporting a big ol’ shiner
And just below my eye just ran my mascara and my liner

It’s that time I think, I think it is, to abandon this here ship
I give up, yep I surrender, and I really need that trip

Then from the corner of my one good eye, I saw the sweetest sight
This kid o’ mine was napping soundly; out just like a light

So, yes, I do believe that God works in mysterious ways
And though I couldn’t take that trip, this break just made my day!

See, now I feel better!  And don’t you after reading that?  It reminds me to appreciate the little things like unexpected nap times!

By the way, in case you were wondering, some of this poem was based on actual events and some was not.  I dramatized a little for your entertainment!  I hope it put a smile on your face!

If you missed my previous post, The Google Alert for Post Ideas, I hope you’ll check it out! 

In the meantime, have a great Tuesday, and I’ll catch you on the flip side!

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