Is This Horse Dead Yet?

Do I complain a lot about how tired I get by the end of the day? How annoyed and irritable I feel some days after about 6:00pm? It seems to be a recurring theme in my life, hence a recurring theme in ye olde blog.

Sorry.

But MAN! Some evenings I have just HAD IT! I feel so completely DONE with mothering.

Tonight, for example, I was responding to the San Mateo Daily News sports editor about ARG's fencing team; looking up info, typing in names and ages.... real exciting stuff I do for my personal entertainment, ya know?

And the kids. were. being. KIDS!

"Mom! Want me to teach you how to make a tea cup and saucer out of string?"
"Mommy! I want milk, not water."
"Stop! StoooOOOOooop! He keeps touching me!"
"Ooooh," (ARG hovering over my shoulder) "What'cha doing?"

Every new "Mom!" was like nails on a chalk board. In my mind I'm thinking, "Delete. Delete. Delete" as if I could just hit a button and make them go away.

They weren't even being seriously bad. It's just that if I am in the room, I am their point of reference for everything. I am the center of their universe. Every thought. Every need. Every disagreement. Requires. Me.

That's not kids misbehaving. That's just kids. It's what I signed up for. But just like any job or career, there are moments when you just need it to go away (temporarily of course).

I know the old "Calgon take me away!" is probably getting clichéd, and doesn't sufficiently express how much I truly didn't care what my kids wanted in that moment.

I suppose in a day or two I'll have to write an exculpatory post replete with assurances of how much I adore and love my children (because I really do).

But tonight - they're going to bed early.