The Middle Place

So I'm reading this book called, "The Middle Place" by Kelly Corrigan. I'm crying and laughing and glad I'm not her but wondering what if... She's telling one story about e-mails and phone calls and trying to get information all the while her 3 year old and 18month old are fighting, then needing something from her, etc. (You'll have to read the book for more) And there I am...

Tonight I get a phone call from Taylor. "What does the t in the recipe for zuchinni bread mean?" I ask if it's a big T or a little t. "A little one." "That would be a teaspoon," I tell her. Then apparently I'm in trouble because I did not explain this to her and I laugh because she just put a tablespoon of baking soda in where it called for a teaspoon and 2 tablespoons of vanilla. She's not amused and tells me she resents the fact that I said "everyone" knows the little t is teaspoon. "This is the first time I've ever baked, mom. I don't bake, I cook." Soooo-ryyyy! I can't believe a child of mine hasn't ever baked because you see, I bake, I don't cook. Well, I do but I don't like it. But because I'm mom, I've fallen down on the job and now it's my fault that my daughter has put too much baking soda and vanilla in her zuchinni bread. I'm 60 miles away, but it's my fault.

And then Charli is needing help with geometry and we all know it's not going to be me that helps her and yet she's standing there looking at me, talking to me, telling me this while I'm on the phone with Taylor again because she can't get her pictures to transfer to a cd. Meanwhile Gianna is under my legs, "Mommy? Mommy? Mom? Mama?" over and over and over again until in mid sentence with Taylor I snap "What?!" and she asks if she can have a banana. But Taylor thinks I'm talking to her and Charli thinks I'm talking to her. Really? I hand Georgi some papers I made copies of for her school friend who lost her report page that has to be turned in tomorrow and whose mom is on her way to get it, tell Charli to use the house phone to call Ashley for help with math and tell Taylor that I don't know why her pictures are not transferring.

All I want to do is read my book...

Then Gianna is yelling at Georgi because she won't call her "Princess Nanni", Charli is mad at her dad because she doesn't understand what he's saying and he's getting mad at her because she's not listening and he's just trying to help so I'm trying to smoothe that over. The dog is following me around and irritating me until I remember I haven't fed her. Gianna pooped in her pants ~ again. Georgi says she "feels weird" which is code for "you don't pay enough attention to me" and my kitchen is a mess from dinner and I don't think the dishes fairy is coming tonight.

And yet... I'm very grateful. I know that sounds stupid and I know I get irritated and crabby and wonder whose idea it was to have so many kids, but I am... very grateful for my middle place.

Okay, I was... now Charli wants the computer and Gianna wants cereal in a bag. Ugh! ;o) At least she's singing to me, you can't get mad at a 3 year old when she's singing to you.

Oh and I'll be digging up some interesting things on my oldest two, Lacey and Taylor. Besides all the lovely, wonderful, easy stuff I do all day I now have to make sure that they are included in the blog because apparently it appears I only have 3 children since "they're all I talk about." Be careful what you wish for!