I'm still pretty new - how do I request a day off again?

I'm still pretty new to this whole stay at home Mama business, and I'd say that for the most part, it's gone pretty well.

My boys are happier.  I'm definitely happier and more relaxed than I've ever been.  RJ is happier.

It was a good move.

But occasionally I have a day when I think maybe I'll get a part time job, just to get out of the house a little.  Or maybe I'll run away to join the circus.  Or maybe I'll just run away.

Yesterday was definitely one of those days.

I woke up grumpy.  I had a headache from hell - you know the one where every time your heart beats, it feels like someone is tightening a vice around your head?  Yeah, that one.  Zj woke up grumpy.  Even sweet little cj, who never has a harsh word for anybody - grumpy.  RJ, who may or may not have been grumpy, got to leave and go to work, so he missed all the fun.  Lucky dog.


We muddled through our morning with a minimum of interaction.   Trust me, it was for the best.  Mid-morning, I wandered off to screw around on Twitter to put in a load of laundry.  Don't worry, the tv was babysitting for me, so the kids were occupied.  Until I heard zj come running up to me yelling "Mama, Mama!"

Uh-oh.

"Mama, electricity and water DO. NOT. MIX."

Great tip, kid.  Now, where did I stash the fire extinguisher?

Ok, fast forward to lunch time... nothing was actually on fire, by the way.  I had the kids settled in to eat, and I wandered off again to screw around on Facebook scrub some toilets.  After a minute or two of peaceful, blissful, quiet, I realized that it was... quiet.  A quick peek at the kids led me to a quick conclusion - one was missing.

Zj was sitting, peacefully eating his lunch.  Cj was no longer strapped into his high chair and was nowhere to be seen.  Hmmm...  Not in the kitchen, not it the living room...  Ok, over the baby gate, past the closed bedroom door...  Yep... Throwing random stuff in the toilet.

Zj:  "Mama, I came as quick as I could when I heard you yell 'Oh Shit!'"
Cj: "Chit! Chit!"

I know cj is in a motor skills acquisition phase right now, but learning how to 1) unbuckle himself from the high chair 2) climb over the baby gate and 3) open doors - all in one day?  Come on, really?  Totally not fair.

And so it went.

At one point, zj asked me if he could go to the sitter's house.  Apparently, she's "nice,"  whatever the hell that means.

At another point, cj walked up to me, patted my leg comfortingly, then said very sternly "Shhhhh, Mama."

Best. Mama. Ever.

At different times throughout the day, no less than 2/3 of the people in this house were in tears.

Not my best work, people.

But today is a new day, kids have short memories, and I'm not above a bribe or two I'm decidedly less grumpy today.

Strangely enough, so are these guys.

What's up with that, I wonder?