One Day I'll Get It Right

Carter deemed her nap unnecessary today. Despite my best efforts to convince her otherwise, she would not stay in bed. She also decided Emerson had slept long enough, and woke her up about halfway through the normal nap window. Lord love her.

It's fine. I was only trying to take a couple dozen quizzes, required by the state of Oregon, to prove I'm neither a moron nor the dregs of society, and am in fact fit to substitute in public schools. (I passed, if you wondered.) She didn't care if I was doing something valuable with my minute to myself - the boys were squirrel hunting - she just wanted to be up. I suppose that's fair. It was a beautiful day today. I gave her a little scolding, during which Emerson took the opportunity to steal a doughnut off the counter. Never a dull moment.

I let Carter go in order to interrogate Emerson. Surprisingly, another doughnut went missing at this time. After a thorough questioning, they both claimed they were eating bagels and were innocent of any doughnut theft. It's hard to argue with these two on a good day, I didn't bother on a no-nap day.

We all needed fresh air.

The boys came home skunked by the squirrels. I wasn't entirely put out. I had already made dinner. We enjoyed some sunshine, baseball, wood splitting, and swinging. Mealtime went as mealtimes go with four opinionated kids, and then a blessedly early bedtime for the girls.

I read to them and rocked them and tucked them in. Then I said, "Good night, sweet girls and sleep tight. I love you." And then I said, "BUT IF YOU SO MUCH AS THINK ABOUT CLIMBING OUT OF BED, SO HELP ME, YOU WILL GET A SWAT!" And then I said, "I love you," and gently closed the door. The sweet little angels never stirred. That was a five star parenting move. I think it's in the last book I read about raising good kids or something...oh wait, I never read the book. Shoot. It really is in the details, isn't it?

Better luck tomorrow.

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