Almost 8 years ago when we first adopted Loki, the world’s crackiest Lab-mix, I had one hell of a week. Matt was traveling, Loki was chewing everything in sight, and I couldn’t sleep. During the course of that week, I gave myself second degree burns on my hand when I took a plate that had just been in the oven from one counter to another without a potholder. I also lost two credit cards in two entirely separate events – both related to my manic levels of distraction. There were also a handful of more minor events that have now been lost to the annals of time.
The past couple of weeks, I’ve had a reprise. All credit cards (so far as I know) are safely in my wallet and my hands look as well as they ever do, but I have been one hot mess. I have been constantly misplacing everything, particularly my phone and other mobile devices. I have left at least one crucial item out of my gym bag every morning this week, except Tuesday when I forgot to set my alarms and had to skip my workout altogether.
It all comes from being so busy that I can’t think straight. When I am not manically running around, I do things consciously. When I am it’s a completely free-for-all. Who know where my keys ended up? I probably handed them to Ben so I could pick up the swim bag or pour some goldfish into a baggie and that couldn’t have ended well.
To make matters worse, Tantrum Week (it’s a bit like shark week but with slightly less blood) continues at Casa Nichols. My sweet little guy went manic and hit someone with a block at preschool. The other kid bled. He was punished. We are told it’s “really not a big deal” since it’s his first infraction in almost 6 months there. But it sure feels like a big deal and I’m sure Ben’s “friend” would disagree. There was a 20 minute time out when he refused to put his wetsuit on for swim class and another one with Matt this morning. Everyone says I’ll appreciate this iron-clad will when he’s 16, but it’s hard to remember at this moment.
So if you see me this week, forgive the sunken-in-eyes and disheveled clothes. I’m just trying to keep all these plates spinning … and find my car keys.
This marks week 4 of crazy swim lessons for the kids. Getting them there hasn’t been easy and they are EXPENSIVE, but they are paying off. Tabby is swimming like a fish (backstroke, elem backstroke, front crawl) and during the last lesson, Ben didn’t cry once! I’m really hoping we’ve turned a corner with him.
