seriously

Yesterday was a difficult day for my brain. It's been on one, I tell ya... With the cold outside, the lack of physical activity, and the walls of our home shrinking by the minute - I've felt positively nutty. But yesterday by nine thirty I'd finished breakfast and some lingering homework assignments, broken up two arguments, driven two pirates to school, put one to sleep, and left my remaining pirate to bask in the glow of Dora the Explorer whilst I rode my bike in our basement. (She loves Dora, but despises the troll - we have to choose our episodes wisely.) Five minutes into my workout, my mom returned my call. (I'd called in between school and sleep.) "Mom," I said in between breaths, "I'm going crazy..." And for two straight minutes she stayed quiet as I let all my angst bubble over. She only laughed when I bemoaned some of our most recent cabin-fever induced antics, and when I asked for her analysis she replied:

"Sounds normal to me!"

It wasn't what I wanted to hear. I wanted to hear I was a special case - a mother-diagnosed nut job, if you will. And I'm pretty sure I wanted to hear that I needed a sterile, quiet location. (Which, in this dream diganosis, would inevitably include an eight hour nap... not to mention a solid night's sleep.) But my mom, bless her sweet little soul, lovingly told me what I didn't want to hear. (And I love her for it.) Yes, she said, all mothers get tired. She also told me, in a roundabout way, to soldier on. And what she didn't say, but I deduced - is that I need to laugh at myself more often.

This winter has me taking myself all too seriously.

So I thought about it. I finished my workout. I showered. I changed two diapers. I fed one toddler and one baby. I started picking up toys (only to find out they were busy in the middle of a game.) So I played the game for a bit as well. I practiced Robs' piano assignment. I picked up one pirate from school (It was his best day ever... but every day is) and fielded an argument in the making. It could have been a whopper of a squabble, (they tend to be these days) but after discussing it with my two pirates, we decided to leave it outside in the cold. And it worked.

Our afternoon went so. much. better. The pirates were more cheerful. I was more cheerful. We got our homework done without any tears!

As it turns out, not taking myself seriously, helps everyone.