The title of today's blog is a play on the children's classic Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, by Judith Viorst and Ray Cruz. In the book, the title character wakes up with gum in his hair and his day goes down hill from there.
Well, bless Alexander's heart, this 33-year-old mom of two can relate to the fictional 8-year-old.
While there was no gum in my hair there was a wispy strand stuck in my contact lens causing me to stumble into Zayden room knocking my knee hard on his crib. Zayden nursed joyously as I winched in pain. He's taken to using my body as a teething ring...NOT PLEASANT.
Before giving Zayden the "solid" portion of his breakfast, I put a potato casserole into the oven that I made the night before. Zayden was in good spirits as he continued the high chair portion of his breakfast extravaganza. As he gobbled his homemade barely and yogurt porridge faster than I could spoon it in I heard drama coming from Xylie's bedroom. It went something like this:
Xylie: "I DON"T WANT TO WEAR PANTS" Napp: "It's 30 degrees outside, today is a pants day, here are your choices." Xylie: "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, I LIKE BEING COLD...I ONLY WEAR SKIRTS AND SHIRTS---- NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO PAAAAAAAAAAAAANNTTTSSSSSSSS!
About 15 minutes later Xylie exits her room fidgeting and whining and attempting to take off her clothes without us noticing.
Zayden has finished his breakfast at this point and we are both pretty much covered in
goo. Napp sweetly offered to clean up and dress our Z-man so I could get in the shower, because despite waking up an hour and a half early I had 15 minutes to dress and get out the door. Xylie seemed in happier spirits as she ate her breakfast so I hit the shower expecting smooth sailing from there.
With my hair sopping wet I Put the finished casserole in the basket as well as the gift for the exchange among other items I needed to bring. Zayden was dressed and ready to leave and I had 5 minutes to spare. I was feeling better. All that needed to be done was for me to blow dry my hair, put a little make up on and for Xylie to get socks and shoes on...and and have her hair brushed. I'm a champion at the "mommy morning marathon, so I thought for sure we'd make it out on time. A shrill voice coming from a not quite four-year-old mouth cramped my dreams of winning this marathon. As I came to brush her hair and she screamed as if I held a vat of acid.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, I want my hair messy.' "At this point I had had it! I warned her in my sternest mommy voice (you know the voice...not a scream, but part growl and part shaken control) that I meant business. It went something like this " Xylie Holloway Nazworth, if you do not get it together and let me fix your hair you will not be going to MOPS with Mommy" (Napp didn't need to leave until 12 today). She continued to scream. I stood my ground. Her privilege was taken and we both felt awful!
I went to the bathroom and started to blow dry my hair and began to put on foundation only to discover later that I only applied it to my forehead---how fashionable!! Xylie continued to scream about not being able to attend her MOPS party
. I wanted to be wishy-washy and take her with me. I thought of giving her another chance...showing her grace, but when I attempted this tactic she screamed louder. That sealed the deal. Like a pebble dropped into wet cement I stood firm in my position. Xylie was not going. And no one was happy!
I picked up Zayden to discover that he had soiled his diaper and needed a change. So much for getting there on time. One diaper change later and a trip to the car with the basket of goodies, I thought I was ready to leave---20 minutes late...not too bad...
Xylie decided that she too was going. Her scream fest continue. (In the back of my mind I tried praying and had thoughts of "why have we decided against spanking?) I got to the car and she followed. Napp captured her and brought her inside kicking and screaming like a banshee.
With my hands and lips quivering and tears in my eyes I drov
e to my MOPS meeting. We were all having wonderful fellowship and then it was time for the gift exchange.
Now, I know that Christmas is not about getting gifts, that white elephant exchanges are just for fun. But I am going to confess. I don't do well in these games. Each year I end up with something that is totally not my style and I feel a tiny bit bitter. I know...not a good Christian attitude and I will repent and have some prayer time as soon I as I stop writing. Like I wrote earlier this blog is therapeutic for me.
Well, the exchange was fun in parts and I did enjoy the fellowship but I'll confess---and this is a humbling confession because I feel like a 5-year-old right now--I was a little disappointed when the Praise and Worship music (I stole--yeah, I'll add hypocrisies to my repentance list) was in turn taken from me as well as other gifts I picked. Finally I opened a cute Boyd's bear ornament. It was very darling. But since we don't have a Christ
mas tree it wasn't quite my style. However, my friend Shawna Lee said that her Grandfather collects them and that he is quite ill right now. So I found joy in giving her the ornament. To the right are some fun pictures from the party.
If I remember the story of Alexander correctly, his mom puts a positive spin on his not so good day. So I am going to put a positive spin on my not so good morning---and I am just calling it a bad morning...not day, because the day is NOT over and it can be turned around.
So Here is the
1) Xylie's tantrum of epic proportions. - It was rough, but I think she learned a valuable lesson today. She's not in charge. It's a lesson we try often to teach her. That God is in charge of everything and Mommy and Daddy need to obey his rules and commands and make sure that we raise her according to His will and purposes. I feel that although it was rough on us all it was good that Napp and I stood our ground and kept to the boundaries. I am also reminded that God does not make mistakes. He gave this highly spirited little girl to Napp and I for a reason and with HIS grace and mercy we have what it takes to help her become a woman after God's heart. Right now she's wearing dress up clothes. Hopefully when I get her dressed in pants to go with us to the Huckabee rally tonight she'll be more willing to obey.
2) At Christmas time we are reminded about God's gift to us. But knowing Christ is a lifelong blessing. So what that I didn't make out good at the MOPS gift exchange....I am feeling quite sill for all the pouting I did about it. Hmmm perhaps I have something in common with my almost-four-year-old.
3) I was able to bless a friend today who will be able to bless her ill grandfather. That's the true joy of giving. And by doing so I am reminded of how much I have been blessed lately. So what that I didn't get the gift of my choice. That's not what the exchange was about and I am feeling quite embarrassed about missing that.
4) My husband jumped in and helped me without me having to ask for it. He handled Xylie's rage with calm and patience.
5) The gift I picked out to give was a hit! So someone was truly blessed by it.
I feel so much better now. OK, so parts of my morning were horrible and no good, but God does not promise us unlimited moments of bliss. He does promise us the strength to get through the trials. He also promises us that Good will come eventually.
Oh, please don't get the wrong impression of my sweet Xylie (Just so you won't I'm going to end this post with extra cute photos of her dancing and some of Zayden in the tub). Sure, she has her moments when I have to brace myself because I am certain that her head will begin spinning and pea soup will be spewing. But she has more sweet moments than not and I am confident thaat she will one day become a woman after God's hard and all her spirit and spunk, when controlled will be used to glorify His kingdom!
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