Friday, May 08, 2009

Sniper Babies!

Oh where to begin...

Yesterday was a long day. I wouldn't say a bad day, but one that was full of conflict. It seems to be my battle lately. Everything is coming at me at once and I'm barely keeping my head above water. So where should I start? The younger boys, or the older boys? Let's go with the bigger situation yesterday....Boaz and Roman. Yes, I think that is the right decision. Let me run with it.

Well Boaz is teething his second set of one year molars. They are beastly to cut for him. I'm not sure if he is aware of his split personality at only one year, but I sure am. My happy go lucky tot will be waddling around wherever I am doing my chores, then all of a sudden he turns into the Incredible Hulk and throws a well rehearsed little fit. Actually, I may be a little more forgiving of the tantrum if he actually took on the traits of the Incredible Hulk, because at least there would be warning. I mean he would turn green and his tiny clothes would tear and shred right before my eyes and therefore I would at least feel prepared that an outburst was coming. No, what is a better way to describe this. Hmmmm.....oh I got it...he's a sniper. Yep, a well hidden sniper. He is mosying along being good, minding his own tiny business, and then all of a sudden something makes him pull his hair trigger; something gets launched in to the air and may land on Popeye (our dog) or will come skidding across the tile or wood floor. Of course, that isn't enough to satisfy his flesh. He then must collapse to the floor and I don't mean without any care, no it's more like he glances through his peripheral vision to make sure his brilliant little noggin doesn't get any bumps or bruises in the landing. It's actually quite a graceful fit throwing. The only thing he is unaware of his how orchestrated it looks. Knowing that he is going to make sure that his body makes a soft landing I pretty much ignore them. To which he lays there silently, requiring no more attention, surprisingly. I think he is just recharging his batteries before he gets up and snipes off another fit, personally.

Okay, so by the end of the day I'm beginning to think about church at 7:30pm. Oh boy...this should be fun. So we do the diaper bag shuffle right before we walk out the door and we are off, perfectly aware that I am heading in to battle with my toddlers. I must... stay.... focused.

So when we get to church I see some visiting brethren pull up. It's our wonderful stand-bys and I can't tell you how much that means to me, but I also know it's not only home brethren with our 20 something kids. I must make sure my arsenal is full of ammo to keep babies behaved. Please don't act up sniper!

It begins with everyone coming in and visiting. Anthony a four year old happily sings song, "Hi Roman!" across the room. Roman stoically doesn't respond. Anthony piped off another happy hello, to which he receives a scowl. So I decide to make Roman say hi back. That goes over like a lead balloon. He lets me know he doesn't want to. I ask him if he plans on obeying me (me waiting with bated breath because this single answer will determine the rest of meeting for me), to which he hesitantly says yes. So I asked him again to say hello, to which a tiny hi was retorted. It was so tiny that his lips didn't move (yes it can be done...try it.) However, everyone smiles and it seems to have done the job. That is when meeting is about to start so I remind him to hop up on the bench and sit back. If I had had a seatbelt for all of us, and maybe a bar to lay in our laps I would have fastened them both because I knew it was going to be a bumpy emotional roller coaster ride. But since I didn't I was going to have to wing it.

From that moment on the first hymn was started and sniper boy began to pull out his little bag of tricks. He wanted up, no down...he wanted his bottle, he wanted to throw his bottle. Oh here comes the collapsing that he has been practicing all day. It would have been challenging enough with Dr. Jeckle and Mr. Hyde, but Roman also decided to work on Abram's last nerve. You see he would point his tiny three year old index finger at anything that was entertaining Abram and demand that it be brought to him. Of course, Abram, being the eldest of the three was not impressed. He tried to share or take turns with Roman, but Mr. Roman would cry silently. Now when I say silently it doesn't sound half bad, but understand that we all knew that it was just a matter of time before the silent cry would turn into wailing. It was like waiting for a bomb to go off. Tick tock...tick tock.

So to make a very long meeting, for me, short I had to waltz both babies out, apply a little hiney pressure, and call out the big dog (Den) to take sniper boy out once (which almost never happens). At the end of the evening, after the dismissal prayer I was humbled. A little embarrassed by the circus, but at the end of the day we survived. You see I have trained many a sniper in my motherhood, and this one will be no different. No taking shelter from meeting for me. BRING IT ON BABIES!!

11 comments:

Beth said...

Oh...I remember those days with Luke...especially in church..can be frustrating and "yes" embarrassing. I am at a good stage right now. Luke is older and better behaved and Drew is not quite to that age yet. But I know it is coming soon. My sweet happy boy will turn sniper too..hehe. Thankfully it is only a stage.

Jules said...

Yeah, we've all been there! I know it is sometimes terrible and embarassing. Just remember: this too, shall pass :) I know that I had a hard time with my kids up until they were about 4 years old. But I'm sorry that your life is stressful right now. I will pray that it will get better for you.

Erika (for Arianna :) said...

Maybe my 19th month baby (or toddler) is training with your son! I know what you mean by that rehearsed tantrum/ fit. This is my first so it is a bit harder, but it is nice to know that it will eventually pass... I will pray for all mommies!

Tiffany said...

LOL this was so funny! You have some adorable "Sniper Babies".

meNmykids said...

Oh, the many, many sniper days. Meeting can be the most intense time of all. I cringe to think of how the brethren had to have patience with us. I sure have patience with all the others following me.

Sabriena said...

Oh, Sis. Trina! I had forgotten about it until you mentioned it, but now I remember watching you take them out and then hearing you apply some hiney pressure! Hehe! And I tried not to smile. I really did! I thought "Poor Sis. Trina!" and I smiled. Then I managed to erase the smile from my face. I didn't notice the boys being bad in Church, I think that mothers always notice more than anybody else, even if other people DO notice.

Lori said...

"I have trained many a sniper" too funny! I had to giggle several times in that post...I still can because I don't have kids yet! :-)

Chantel H said...

Sorry to hear about your stress with the "sniper." Hopefully this phase will pass soon, but with 6 sons, I can only imagine what's ahead!

Marisela said...

Your boys are such cuties! I love watching them in church. They really are pretty good.

Sis Stubby said...

I sure did smile at this post.Oh, the memories I had.My #2 son was a good one for distrubing the peace. One church meeting when I had to take him out for some hinny presure.He yelled loud please momma don't whip me to hard.

Skylene said...

This is right where I am at with Saylor too. But at least after Serena & Summer I was just waiting for it to happen so I am not surprised. Saylor does that split personality thing too. It is the craziest thing! Frusterating but kind of funny at the same time.