Not SO bad.
I feel badly doing all my whining here. Life is awesome. A constant adjustment with lots of smiles.
While Frank and Mimi challenge us pretty much without a break, Molly keeps us smiling and laughing. She adores us all, no matter what. She is positive and happy from the second she wakes up. She loves her daycare providers, loves her godmother, who takes her from time to time, and her godmother's sisters, and her godmother's parents. She loved my dad. Today when we dropped her off at the church nursery, she took one look at the provider there and started from pout to tears in 2 seconds. But she worked it out and was smiling when I picked her up.
I have no doubt that her childhood will be challenging in a lot of ways, but she is such a joy every day. Frank keeps us in stitches and that little bastard never. shuts. up. I have the privilege of spending oodles of time with that little fool in the car, and he just never stops talking. I adore him. He has a horrible temper. He is so pigheaded. But I like him a lot, most of the time.
Mimi is . . . Mimi. I see so much love and joy and light in her, but she saves her darkness for me. She is so smart and so talented, but so difficult. Every second of every day is a challenge. Sometimes she surprises me. I just try to tell her constantly that I love her and think she's awesome, except for when I'm screaming at her that she's impossible. Which is a good deal of the time we spend together.
We've had to really limit "screen time". I feel like it's a huge trigger for horrible behavior. It's a lesson they (and we) keep learning.
Frank and Mimi are little fatties like me. Mimi can't fit into anything at the Gap or Justice. She's not an easy fit. I had no idea what it was like parenting a kid who has to try things on in the dressing room. Yikes!
I think they'll both lean out - we eat pretty healthy - because they didn't have the most active summers. Next year I hope will be better. I was disappointed to hear that Mimi's camp wasn't as physical as I thought it was. They did a lot of playing board games and singing soms, and she had a great time, but I guess not a lot of running around. So many days I picked her up red-faced and sweaty. I would swear she ran around.
We need to eat healthier and exercise more as a family. I offered to do a 5K with Mimi and with Frank and they both were horrified at the idea. Oh well. My problem is ever the ice cream when teh kids go to bed. I'm going to work on it because I have really put on almost 20 pounds since I went back to work between the crappy eating and lack of movement and drinking and nighttime treats.
I will get there, I know it. It's not like I'm going to get pregnant again.