I was wrong

Well it's Thursday and my kids have been on Fall break all week, I thought I would have gone insane by now! I have to admit I wasn't looking forward to this week in fact I was DREADING it, and now I feel guilty for even thinking that way. Don't get me wrong I LOVE to spend time with my kids, but lately Ryne has been extremely mean towards her brother which induces a bout of the whines and screams, and "MOM, Marryne beat me!" or "MOM, Marryne is teasing me!", and when I say "beat" I don't mean like physically beating I mean EVERYTHING is a race and she "beats" him just about every time. A lot of this behavior has been kept to a minimum when she is at school, so I really wasn't looking forward to a week of them spending 24 hrs together. I wasn't looking forward to constantly having to send them to their rooms, or put them in time out, I really wanted to be able to enjoy them but didn't think that was going to happen.

I have to admit I was wrong. The kids have been really great this week, they have had a few squabbles here and there but that's pretty normal for most kids. They have let me sleep in, the last few days which has been really nice. We have been spending more time out of the house and that helps a lot. Ryne has made some new friends in the neighborhood, one of which lives 5 doors down she has been spending a lot of time at her friends house and outside(only if I can see her out the front window). Kaleb has felt a little left out ,cause I don't let him go but I have been making up for that by doing some fun things with him. When they are together they have been playing nicely with each other.

I haven't been giving the kids credit. Instead of seeing how good they can be I have been focusing on how bad they can be. I have been wanting to go to a Tai Chi and Taekwondo class with Dana, but we don't seem to be able to find or afford a sitter, many times Dana has suggested we take the kids with us, there is an area where they can play and watch and they are welcome. I have snubbed this idea every time cause I just thought I knew how they would act and I didn't want to have to "deal" with it. Dana didn't listen to my protests he got the kids ready to go, and was waiting for me, I reluctantly went. I thought that it would be the biggest disaster ever, and then Dana wouldn't be inclined to ask again. I ended up eating my words that night, the kids were wonderful and we were there over 2 hrs! Ellie played great in the pack-n-play with a few toys, Kaleb found a Superman toy that kept him really busy and QUIET, Ryne watched Dane and I most the time and took care of Kaleb and Ellie when necessary. I thought for sure after Tai Chi I would have to keep them quiet while Dana continued with the next class, but they were fantastic, I helped Kaleb fix a couple of the toys, then continued with the next class. By the end of the class I felt great, out of breath but great. I was so proud of the kids that they all got ice cream when we got home they were so happy and Dana was right we didn't know how they would act till we tried. I was really glad we did, now that doesn't mean that they will be this good every time and hopefully we can get a sitter here and there, but it means that they have the potential to be that good every time. I underestimated my kids, I assumed that they couldn't be that good, I was wrong and to them I say I am sorry, you guys are the best kids a mother could have and I love you so much.

My kids were part of the reason I didn't want to go to the class that night, the other part was me I have been very anti people lately. I don't want to be around anyone but at the same time I know I need to be. I met some really great people that night, I gained a lot of confidence in myself and I felt so rejuvenated. I am definitely going back in fact we are doing a class tonight and we are taking all of the kids again and I am not worried or stressed (which is big for me). I am glad that my husband was brave enough to pass through choppy waters to get me to go to the class that night, he got some really scary glares from me and maybe a few not so nice words. He was persistent, and that was exactly what I needed at the time. I love you hun, thank you.

So with that I feel better about the weekend, physically and emotionally I have confidence that I can handle whatever comes my way and I have my wonderful, fantastic family to thank so THANK YOU I love you so much.