Mare enters my room, sobbing. I am sorting out the oil bill, a sick cat, and waiting for callbacks from Eden’s doctors. They’ve been in the toy room most of the day watching movies.
And I’ve got itchy bites all over myself.
“Renny hurt my feelings,” Mare weeps. “She asked me to do something and then I did it instead of watching the movie and then when she saw it she said I did it wrong but that was because she didn’t tell me how to do it,” she gulps and sobs. I beckon Ren.
“Ren, your sister’s feelings are hurt,” I say.
“Well, it’s just that … Mare, you messed it all up.”
“WAA!” Mare says.
“Ren, when your sister’s feelings are hurt, we have to talk about that, first. It’s okay to talk to her about things you don’t want her to do, but it isn’t okay to hurt her feelings.”
“But … Mare, can you not do it wrong? When I ask you to do stuff? Because that makes me sad, sad, sad,” she starts spinning in place. “Sad, sad, sad … and den I get mad, and I’m sad, and my project looks bad and it’s all your fault …”
Mare and I lock eyes and I laugh. Then Mare laughs.
“Ren,” she says.
“Can you take all da tape off it?” Ren asks, hands on her hips. “Da tape looks bad.”
“You didn’t tell me where to put it!” Mare answers in total exasperation. “It’s your fault!”
“Yes I did!”
“No you didn’t!”
“I was going to!!”
“Oh!” Mare says, her ears perking up. “I love this song!” Edelweiss is playing. They scamper off. I am left with a phone, a pile of bills and a quizzical expression.
And I itch.
And we are all laughing with you!
I love the little ADD-ish things the kids do during the summer…oh look a hummingbird…
where was I?
Oh yeah, itchy bites? Why is it never anything good, like diamonds falling out of the ceiling or something?
Sometimes I think a big cardboard cutout of me sitting on the couch would suffice in helping my girls sort out their issues. They could run into the room with nary a glance my way, whine, scream, wail, frown, giggle, laugh, skip off onto their next adventure.
Too bad all parenting isn’t that simple, eh?
Jenn…I think I need a girl or two. It NEVER works that way for me. Once the discussion begins you can bet someone will be sitting on someone’s head very soon…
I love Edlewiess too.
Weeeeeeeeeee! Motherhood is FUN!!!!!!!
Holy Mother of God. How did you birth these children that can actually work things out together? Honestly. I bang my head on the kitchen counters daily.
Sorry about the itchy-s.
I have had an itchy wrist for, oh, about five years now. No idea why.
Golly, how I adore your girls. Sweet, wickedly smart little Roodle, lovely gentle Mary. And … do you have fleas?
“No more rhymes, I mean it!”
“Anybody want a peanut?”
Fezzik FTW! \o/
Just read your comment on Dooce which made me cry.
Had to stop by and say hello.
~K
I too have 3 kiddos, and I’m currently nursing the end of a bad case of poison ivy–mucho empathy to ya. BTW–my youngest is 2–it gets better when they’ll all stay glued to the tube when necessary =)