Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Heat Exhaustion

I sat down tonight with a post in mind, and a perfect photo to go along with it. This was the message from Blogger that greeted me.

We need to perform hardware maintenance on the photos system for Blogger. This means that photo uploading and serving will be down for approximately 1 hour starting at 5pm (Pacific Time). All photos previously uploaded will not be visible during this maintenance.Thanks for your understanding.

Update: This is now complete. Thanks for your patience.

So, do you see a photo? No?

Thanks, Blogger. Glad to know the problem is fixed.

So, since I cannot upload a photo, you will get to participate in a little envisioning exercise. It's good for you. It will stimulate your frontal lobe.

That's on your brain. Don't get too excited.

Imagine, if you will, a photo of a cherub-faced toddler with sky blue eyes and a perky little ponytail lying on the floor throwing a no-holds-barred, world class, raise the roof tantrum.

That, my friends, is exactly what my day has been in a nutshell. So sit back, and grab a Coke. Supermom is about to do some whining.

First of all, the heat outside is approaching Supernova proportions. Our little three foot swimming pool has been turned into a jacuzzi, offering no refreshment. It is so hot we can't even be outside and enjoy it. So we have become like hermits, holed up in our house with all the blinds drawn to keep the sun from burning holes in our brains.

You know what happens when you keep three kids indoors for too long, don't you? Mutiny. They are all conspiring against me to drive me completely and utterly insane.

I tried to find fun things to do. I suggested we fold laundry. That didn't work. I said we could do worksheets. No takers. What's wrong with these kids?

So I brought out the big guns. We'll go grocery shopping. AND we'll buy cookies.

Am I great mom, or what?

And that was a lot of fun. So much fun that I had to come home and eat a dozen of the two dozen cookies we bought to alleviate my (ahem) fun.

All day long my children have been disobedient, rude, obnoxious, whiney and...well, I can say it now...bratty. Yup. They've been bratty.

They've been fighting with me, fighting with each other and it has been all I can do today to not scream and throw things across the room. Seriously, folks. I am stressing OUT. All I wanted to do was veg in front of my computer and have them leave me alone.

I know. That sounds terrible. I've been guilting myself all day for feeling that.

Now I can say with a fair amount of confidence that I am a very "hands on" mom. I rarely leave my kids with other people. And I normally love to play with them. I pride myself in that. But lately I am feeling the need for a break. I just need some distance. Maybe it's the heat. Maybe it's the hormones. Maybe it's the pressure of being the sole parent in the household for what feels like 24/7 (even though that's not really true). Or maybe it's all of the above. But I can't find the energy in me to suck it up and take my Supermom title seriously.

I think I need a hiatus. Maybe Alaska. Maybe Siberia. Maybe Antarctica.

Tonight Baby and I made the rounds, tucking in Sister and Brother before I put her down. She climbs up into Sister's bed and gives her a hug, laying her head on Sister's chest. We say goodnight to Brother, on the top bunk of his bunk beds and I turn to leave the room. She starts to cry and reaches around for him. I lift her up to him, where she throws her soft little arms around his neck and he kisses her chipmunk cheek.

Sigh.

That kind of makes up for the tantrum.

7 comments:

Sarah said...

This heat is killer!! Remember the "bitter-beer face" commercials from a few years ago? That is ME the instant I step into this heat. THEN if anyone tries to argue with me -- then I throw the tantrum!! We had to have a little "come to Jesus" meeting at my house -- and only one child is living here due to camp!! Things are heated in more ways than one. Don't feel guilty -- just eat more cookies. And maybe you need some ice cream/ fudgecicles in there, too!

Bttrfly1976 said...

I was just thinking to my self, 'self, you need a hiatus.' I feel ya. And it is TOO HOT!!!!! In complete seriousness, even though I laughed when she told me, my neighbors dog actually had a heat stroke and spent last night at the animal E.R.

Andreia Huff said...

Im with you sister. Its too hot to even be in the pool for too long : (

We are building tents/forts in the living room today.I will conquer my need for order and allow the entire room to be draped with my whatever they can pull out of the linen closet.I will serve lunch and anything else I can think of to entertain these kiddos!

LiteratureLover said...

You poor thing and it's even hotter today! Argh!! Hubby told me that it's going to be 105 and that maybe we should get out and go somewhere cool. But then we remembered the "tire" thing and thought that maybe I should take it to the tire place. Now that sounds like LOADS of fun! However, it would probably be really cool in that waiting room, so I might just do it.

Anonymous said...

Oh, Supermom- I have soooo been there/done that. Thanks for putting it together so elequently. Never thought of taking a photo of my child in mid-tantrum. I'm usually trying to hold my hands tightly at my sides to keep from grabbing said child and doing something very rash, yep, very rash, that I would later feel absolutely abominable about.
I should try the photo op though- even if it's just to show off to them later in life of what they've put me thru . . . .
I'll say a prayer for you that it all improves- greatly!

Anonymous said...

Oh wow you sound just like me! Do we live next door and I don't know it? Hang in there! It will soon pass. I hope. *Gulp* And I am soo glad to hear about your sis! Woo hoo!

Unknown said...

Can I go with you to Alaska? Seriously. Same thing going on here today.