Why Can't I Just Get Five Peaceful Minutes?

Mom of toddlers, when someone asks me to describe myself I am "a mom of two toddlers." Depending on the day I may describe those toddlers as adorable, sweet, funny, amazing... crazy, exhausting, ridiculous. They're toddlers, after all, they are ALL those things, at any given moment, and fifteen times throughout the day. Sometimes I just want five minutes of peace.
Don't get me wrong, I do cherish my time with them, after all I am a working mom who does not get infinite hours being at their beck-&-call. I hate the idea of complaining about the time I do get with them, because I have so much mom guilt for having to leave them for 8+ hours a day. I am not perfect and neither are my kiddos, which is why, sometimes, I just need five peaceful minutes.
Let's paint the picture: It's 8PM on Friday night and my husband is at work. I have bathed the children and placed them in bed with a movie to watch. I sneak off to the shower so I can wash away another exhausting day. Let's be honest, the shower is the most peaceful place. The calming sounds of the hot water that steams up the entire room, if you're lucky enough to get to shut the door while you shower, that is. See, very seldom do I get to close the door, or if I do get to close it rarely does it stay that way. These toddlers know how to get in and they always do. Other times, like this particular Friday, I left it open so I could keep my mom ears in high alert. After all, they are alone in the house. I probably didn't need to actually leave the door open because I can hear them perfectly fine. I just can't figure out what I am hearing. Are those piercing screams the sound of happy toddlers, doing something they shouldn't be doing, but having lots of fun? Are those ear piercing screams the sound of a toddler yelling out for help because her brother is actually causing her physical pain or harm? When it does go silent, is it because one of the children is unconscious? dead? or maybe whispering his apologies so she doesn't rat him out for causing her extreme physical pain? I shower, as quick as I can, trying not to forget to rinse the conditioner out of my hair, again! No one is bleeding, no one is hurt, but lots of noise, so much noise. Why is bedtime so loud? I text my husband, "why can't I shower in peace?" He doesn't have an answer. It's not often that he's home alone with the kids these days during bedtime routine. This used to be his problem when I worked late, but then again, they're just now TWO and THREE years old. They didn't used to BOTH be so mobile, so independent, so strong-willed, so ... threenager/toddlerific! And then, finally, we sleep.
Now, now it is Saturday. Daddy goes to sleep and I attempted a trip to Walmart with both children. Once we got in the door everything was fine, but let's just say we spent 3 minutes standing by the carts at the front of the store causing quite a scene. This toddler didn't want to ride in the seat, that toddler didn't even want to come out of the parking lot. One stood by the crosswalk crying, the other fought me as I attempted to reason with her about where she was going to sit. I get him away from the crosswalk, just long enough for him to realize why she's crying and then he joins her. He's not going to ride in the seat either, not if he has anything to say about it. It felt like eternity, with all eyes on us. We get inside the door, we make our way through the store causing very few scenes, and then she says those words. "I need to go potty"... of course you do, my sweet 2 years-5mos-3wks old child. You potty trained yourself, through your own desire, without any help from us, because diapers are so much more convenient when you need to run errands or take road trips, but you did it! And you're doing so great, so yes, let me push this cart full of groceries to the restroom door and take you and your brother to go potty.
When it's all said and done, we come home and there seems to be a bunch of meltdowns. Meltdowns that don't make any sense. Except that these toddlers must be exhausted. You can't make them understand that all they need is a nap. Instead, though, she passes out for a quick 30min power nap, while he's still wide awake and destroying my house. Then they're both awake and there is lunch to be had. He doesn't want macaroni and cheese, he wants meatballs. She doesn't want meatballs, she wants mac&cheese. No naps were had today, not enough with both of them asleep and peace in the house. Instead I am in charge of doing four loads of laundry, picking up around the house, I've made them breakfast, and a lunch they didn't eat, and no nap time to give me five peaceful minutes to wrap my brain around what I am going to make for dinner. They get pizza. I'm done.
The children haven't napped and they are clearly exhausted. You can't reason with these terrorist--- I mean toddlers. I am at the end of my sanity. For some reason he is arguing with her about something that doesn't even make sense. He is being mean for no reason and I really want to give him a piece of my mind, but as soon as I do he will turn into an emotional basket case and I don't have the patience for this, not today! Not today.
I ask my husband, please just take them outside to play. I need some time. He obliges and there is nothing but the dog and me in the house. I get in the shower... this could be my only chance for a peaceful shower, with the door closed, the steam to fill the room. As I move along from shampooing my hair to washing my face the bathroom door swings open with force. The three year old toddler needs to poop. Now. In this bathroom. At this moment. The husband says, "I think he has a 6th sense about when mommy showers," meaning, when mommy finally gets five peaceful minutes a timer must go off in his little body that reminds him he hasn't disturbed mommy lately and he must find her immediately and disrupt any peace she may be having...

I have many blog posts, ready to be written, but I just can't seem to find the five peaceful minutes to get them typed out. Until next time, folks!

Family Tradition

It's that time of year when you start to remember all of your family's traditions that some how got passed down from generation to generation. Crazy to think back to when I was little and we used to travel to Indiana every year. Not necessarily for Thanksgiving, but Memorial Weekend, for the Indy 500. My mom's entire family would get together. The things I remember the most was the laughs. That part of my family was always laughing. You just hoped you were laughing with them and not being laughed at, because it was always their mission to play a prank or joke on someone, anyone. Every person was fair game, no one was safe from the crazy antics.

My Great-Grandma walked with a cane, although I never really remember her using the cane for walking. She would swat you on the backside as you walked past her. My Grandma would lurk behind anything and yell "BOO" to scare you. As would my mother. Turns out I inherited this lovely trait for scaring unsuspecting people-- I scared my husband (at the time he was just my boyfriend) when he walked into my apartment. I simply waited behind the door and said "Boo" when he walked in.Scared him enough that he fell over the couch.

My brother could tell you a story about coming home from the race, riding in the car with my mom's Uncle (Jay Lee) and his son, Chad (my mom's cousin). My brother could tell the story so much better than I ever could, as he experienced it and it scared him so bad that almost 30 years later my brother still talks about it. My brother was asleep in the back of the car-- see, when you go to the Indy 500 you get up at the crack of dawn and drive into Indianapolis. Then you tail-gate all day, even when you're only about 10 years old tail-gating is a VERY important piece of the puzzle. Of course this leads to a very long day in the sun, exhausting everyone. My brother fell asleep in the backseat and woke up to Jay Lee slamming on the breaks, he and Chad screaming at the top of their lungs! Talk about terrifying. Jay Lee's smile is so contagious, you cannot even hold it against him, you just have to laugh along with them.

Jay Lee passed away this weekend, after a long battle. It's heartbreaking because he was the baby of the family and he was always so much fun! But, let me tell you the crazy family antics have been passed down. Last night I was in the shower-- 10 minutes of hot shower, no toddlers. At least I thought so. I left my son in the bedroom watching the "dog movie" (101 Dalmatians) and my husband had our daughter asleep in the chair after she passed out during her breathing treatment. I started to hear some nudges at the door. It could have been the dog, but usually he nudges it and moves on, but then the door opens and my son walks in, all sneaky, and says "BOO!" I could not stop laughing at my TWO YEAR OLD SON, who some how managed to inherit the silly trait of scaring people. We walk around the house, jumping out from behind corners a lot in my house. My Grandma would think it was the funniest thing ever. Every day I wish she were alive to see his silliness, especially last night. I would have loved to have called her and told her about her Great-Grandson, she would have been so proud.

My Grandma probably was standing behind the Golden Gate and St Peter, lurking, just waiting for Jay Lee to step foot into Heaven for the first time, and at the exact right moment jump out and yell BOO! That's how it goes...

In memory of Jay Lee, and my Grandma Mary Lou

Memories I Don't Want to Forget...

Something ever happen and you think to yourself "I need to remember this forever" because it is either hilarious or heartwarming. Maybe it was just a touching moment that made you think there is hope for our future.

My son can be such a big brother!! Sometimes he is pushing his sister down, sometimes he is yelling at her (for Lord only knows what reason this time), sometimes he is being so loving and sweet...

Sister was asleep in the bedroom, my son, my husband, and I were all in the living room. My son had me laughing, we were goofing around, my husband watching us, just laughing at us being funny. Then Sis woke up. Let out a cry, and my son said "Uh oh, baby" and took off running to the bedroom. Both of my children have toddler beds, and Sis was just sitting on the edge of her bed and my son climbed up, gave her a hug and kiss, and got back down.

It was sweet. Very sweet, very heart warming, very beautiful and I never want to forget it. However, Sis... her smile, when her big brother came to her rescue was just as wonderful and heart-warming. Just as memorable. I hope I never forget these moments.

Especially when my toddlers start acting like toddlers again. Especially when my son doesn't want his baby sister on his (toddler-sized)
slide, playing with him. Especially when he shoves her off the slide and she gets a lovely bruise on her cheek, that will easily last for weeks, probably through to our Christmas pictures.

Crack of Dawn

This Sunday will officially be the 4th Sunday since the end of Daylight Savings Time. This Sunday will likely also be the 4th Sunday my son decides to wake up before the actual sun. I am almost begging for a growth spurt or maybe a switch to go off in him that makes him sleep more than just the 8 hours he gets at night.

People always said babies and toddlers will sleep 12 hours straight. I call BS, because my oldest has NEVER slept 12 hours straight. He's happy, he's silly, he's typically in a really good mood, he's fun, and he's adorable, but he does not sleep.

Sis on the other hand... 12 hours would be the small side of things, except it's not. My daughter can sleep anywhere. She will even let you wake her up for a little while and then fall back asleep when she feels like it. However, she can not sleep through her brother's 6AM wake up calls. No one in the house can sleep through brother.

Earlier this week he had us awake before 5:30AM. I made him some breakfast (a delicious cereal bar-- so yeah, I unwrapped the cereal bar. At 5:30AM that IS making breakfast), poured him some milk, and started his beloved Little Einsteins. Soon Sis was awake, and Daddy, so I was able to go get ready for work. I left on time and exhausted. Then, shortly after arriving at work, Ryan texts me a sweet picture of my adorable Princess. She found her infant bouncy seat, crawled in it with the dog's blanket, and took herself a little nap. Thank God I have one child that enjoys sleep. It's too bad we had to experience colic and baby icky-sickies before we ever got her to the point of being a sweet, precious, little sleeper, but I will take it!

Meet the Fitzetto's...

Welcome to the newest addition of my attempt at blog writing. A little about myself, well, about us!

My babies are 13.5 mos apart. When we announced we were expecting our 2nd bundle of joy most every reaction was "whoa, that soon!" or other remarks equally judge-y. Truth be known I was ready for a 2nd baby. We started "late" on having kids and all my life I knew I wanted to be a mother. I was ready to sign up for five children, had we not already been "old" when we got married. It was not necessarily planned to have babies back-to-back, but it wasn't necessarily a mistake or an oops or any other word you may think is the polite way to describe an unplanned pregnancy. We knew what we were doing and maybe it was sleep deprivation or the fact that my son has been the perfect child since the day he was born, who knows, but we were ready to have baby #2. We want to be a loving family with lots of giggles and craziness. However, that doesn't mean we are immune to the insanity that is toddler life.

Other than having two babies, I am a working mom. A mother who cannot afford to send her kids to daycare 5 days a week, nor afford to not work. Therefore my husband has taken the opportunity to work Thursday through Sunday. My kids get a part-time stay-at-home Dad. I don't get any husband time, nor is there many opportunities for any date nights, heck, we don't even stay up past the kids bedtimes usually!! I not only work Monday through Friday, but I work in sports, so when the team is in town I can work around 60-80 hours in a week, every day of the week, from 9AM until who knows what time in the evening. Sometimes I crawl out of bed and get ready while my babies are still snuggled in, not quite awake, as I leave for work. When I return, many nights they are fast asleep already.

My children are lucky enough to not only have their daddy home with them three days a week, but to have my parents near by for those weekends when both mommy & daddy work. My parents agreed to watch the kids when I am at games on the weekends, and my son thinks it is the best thing on Earth! My mom is exhausted after a few hours, but my children... we can't even mention "Grandma & Grandpa" around them, because my children will rush out the door, climb in the car, and eagerly wait for us to get there. In fact we are having dinner at my parent's house tomorrow, but I can't tell my son until I pick him up from school, or he won't stay at school willingly, therefore drop off will be very emotional, for all of us.

This new blog is about being a hard-working mommy with a part-time-stay-at-home-daddy husband, and our two perfect toddlers.