Archives from 2002-2006

Oct

1

Grousing

I was rambling to JB last night about how challenging Dylan is lately — a mostly good-natured baby for sure, but always wanting something, no longer content to bounce in his chair or pound on the exersaucer for more than a few minutes at a time before making his fussy “HEHHH, HEHHH, HEHHHH” sound that makes my brain feel like someone’s slowly shoving pieces of it through a paper shredder — and how hard it is to deal with his nonstop needs for changes and meals and entertainment while Riley begs me to sit with him and read a book or build yet another towering stack of Legos and I kind of feel like I often end up shortchanging everyone. I get irritated with the baby, who yells to be fed but then acts like I’ve set him on fire when I get him situated in his chair and continues to bitch me out between each and every blessed bite; I get irritated with Riley, who seems to be in some sort of nonstop talking stage, talk talk talk talk talk talk talk oh god with the talking, and he’s even started with the “why?” thing (“Hey Mommy? Hey Mommy? Hey Mommy? Why’s that window?” Don’t bother trying to get the details, like why’s that window what? Open? Shut? Existing? See-through? Because forget it, ask for clarification and you get “Why’s that tiny ALLIGATOR? Hey! Where’s my yellow ball? Is the moon up? Where’s Daddy? Why’s that, why’s that, why’s that SANDWICH.” It’s like talking with someone who has taken a large portion of both methamphetamines and LSD) and having him chatter in my ear while I’m frowningly steering spoonfuls in Dylan’s mouth and Dylan’s whipping his head around to hear about the fucking window and arrrrgh, bananas on the wall again.

I went on to explain at great length about how I don’t wish for Dylan’s babyhood to go by more quickly, god no, he’s already eight months old and how did that happen (“Why’s that eight months old?”), it’s just that I am thinking that I am maybe not so great at multitasking this exact age combination of children and it’s just really haaaaaaaaaard sometiiiiiiiimes and that was about when JB said yeah, totally, um you know what I have to go to the bathroom. I suppose I should be glad he didn’t remind me that he can’t hear me when I whine and to use my words like a big girl.

The tough thing about parenting is that no matter how dreary it gets, no matter what fleetingly crappy stage you’re in, you pretty much just have to deal with it. I mean, you can complain, but it’s not like you have the option just to, like, bow out. This is also the very good thing about parenting.

In other news, I would like to dole out a dickpunch or two to the next know-it-all who gets condescending about current events in the economy and snottily reminds people not to panic, like they’ve got some Magic Eight Ball the rest of us don’t. Hey, I’m not exactly in a full-lather panic over here, but I have bills and career changes and savings and college educations and oh, our LIVES to consider and fuck it, I will stress out about this shit if I want to. Which I DON’T, but HELLO. See also: people pooh-poohing global warming because This Has All Happened Before and It’s Part of a Natural Cycle So What’s Everyone Worrying About.

Lastly, some random polling questions:

• Bedtime for baby: what time do you do it? Dylan’s been going down around 7:15-7:30, but I often have to fight to keep him up until then, despite a quick late-day nap. I’ve been afraid to put him down earlier because I don’t want him to get UP earlier, but maybe he wouldn’t?

• 3-year-olds: does yours eat? Like, actual food? Because what the hell, mine doesn’t.

• Are there any fitness-related websites that you particularly like?

• Facebook: am I the only one too stupid to figure it out?

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