Tuesday, Tuesday

Okay, so that's not a song, but I couldn't call it "Monday, Monday" again, and we're stuck in the same story.

Maybe I should have just called this blog the Chronicles of Courtside Chaos.

Want an update of last night? It wasn't pretty.

The marbles worked wonders…the kids kindly shared the Nintendo DS (see, mommy, we're sharing!!), and were very helpful…right up until bedtime. At that point, things with C went straight downhill. After strict orders to stay in bed or she would lose "Belle" and a marble, I caught her (not 5 minutes later) sneaking up to the door of T2's room, where I was currently putting the child to bed. Umm...how do you teach common sense to a 4-year-old? So, into her room I go. She knew exactly what was going on, because she was hiding the "Belle" doll behind her back and holding on for dear life. There was screaming. There was crying. There might have been, ummm, some yelling. I know, it doesn't do any good. I don't even feel better after I've let it out. But, good grief, it's hard to not.

Five minutes later? Repeat entire sequence with "Baby," the second doll she sleeps with.

My husband later pointed out that taking away both her sleeping comforts might not have been the best strategy for assisting her in falling asleep. Well, thanks, Mr. Brainy…where was that advice after last night's fiasco? Ha!

So we're two marbles down for C, and still going. I finally closed her door because she was still yelling. She hates the door being closed, so she "snuck" over and opened it. At that point she at least had the smarts to stop screaming so I wouldn't know the door was open. And I had the smarts to ignore her and the door, in the hopes that if she were quiet long enough, she would fall asleep, and I could sneak back in and return "baby," which was the deal we made when I left the last time.

An hour passes. Daddy comes home from the scrimmage and wonders why there is a light on in the kid's hallway. Well, I don't know, I sure wasn't going back there again to fight another battle after things finally got quiet. I was certain that she had turned on her lamp or closet light, and then had fallen asleep. I mean really, it's almost 10:00.

Yeah, if that had been the ending, this wouldn't be much of a story, huh?

So from somewhere, she had found a big fat black crayon, and – as a way to make Mommy feel better? – had drawn a giant picture of Mommy on her yellow wall with black crayon.

How sweet.

I'm sorry that in my absolute frustration I neglected to take a picture of the lovely drawing of "Mommy." It looked just like me, you know.

She's still alive this morning, in case you were wondering. And magic eraser took care of the crayon. And sleep took care of me, mostly.

Gotta go now – I'm going to go read a book to C while we're waiting for Daddy to come home. Maybe if she gets more attention before bedtime she won't demand as much after.

But you might pray for her tonight. I threatened to make her sleep in T2's crib. Probably won't do it….probably.