All before I got to work today; 'A Rant' if you will.

This particular morning started with an extra bit of spontaneous ambition. The timing of it surprised me, as I still wasn't feeling particularly well. I got up around 6:20 and sorted some laundry, picked up some odd's and end's around the house, and loaded the dishwasher. Around 6:45 I jumped in the shower, fully intending to bask in the ability to not be disturbed by little hands banging on the door screaming: "are you done yet?!" I got out before my alarm went off at 7, made some toast, and started my coffee maker. So far so good!

Five minutes later, a sleepy little girl comes out of her room wanting to get some cuddle time in before her brothers wake up. I am of course, happy to oblige. After 10 perfect minutes of peace and snuggling, everything changed. The whole morning changed. I got up to do something, and Kyla started crying. I assumed she was just still tired and I tucked a warm blanket around her and rubbed her head for a minute. The tears kept flowing. Finally, I ask her what's wrong. While I was surprised then, I realize now, that I should not have been. " I miss Mrs. Musick, and I want to do 1st grade all over again so I can still be with her! " This was said in a very drowned out by tears, lip quivering, early morning voice mind you. We talked about this situation for quite some time and I finally managed to change the subject to one that was within my control. It seemed to work for the time being.

The next little event has to do with Jack. As he does every morning, he peaks around the corner, big grin and dimple included, just enough for me to see him. Once I acknowledge his presence he all of a sudden acts extremely tired and says: "hold me." Again, happy to oblige. During this act of cuteness, I notice the time and to speed things up a bit ask if they want to get dressed and ride their bikes to meme's house this morning. "YES!" was screamed by both of them. This is where it really starts to go downhill.

I had clothes picked out for them and suggested them to please get dressed. This is where I went wrong. I asked them to do something of my choosing rather than their own. The clothes I picked simply would NOT do. The drama that enfolded from Jack and his shorts that did NOT have a pretend belt attached would have been enough birth control to keep all teenagers from ever getting pregnant again. Kyla proceeded to follow in his footsteps, changing her outfit 4 times - promptly dismissing several outfits that she, just last week, absolutely adored.

After 15 minutes of arguing, time alone in their rooms, and the threat of taking their bikes away - they managed to comply with my request for clothes to replace their pj's. In the middle of this, I managed to wake Kade up ( who likes to wake up on his own by the way ) with the offer to let him ride his bike while I drove next to him. Thankfully, he said: "what do you want me to wear mom?" and just jumped into his clothes. Phew. Further crises averted.

You might be thinking, oh - that's NOTHING. Once it was over, I would have totally agreed with you. Except: one minute later they were outside fighting about who would open the garage door, who would be first in line on the sidewalk, and who was done first. After 30 seconds of fighting I hear screaming and crying. These are the events that unfolded next, as I understand it:

Jack tried to open the garage.
Kyla declared him too young to do so, and pushed his hand away from the handle.
Kade then got defensive for his little brother and PUNCHED Kyla in the stomach.
Kyla came in doubled over screaming for dear life ( of course ) and
Jack came in wanting me to make Kyla apologize for "telling me I'm a baby and moving my hand!"
Through the pleading and the screaming I glance out the window to see Kade with his smart-ass grin opening the garage and looking at me like: "What?"
I called Kade in immediately and asked why he punched his sister. His answer:
"Because of what she did to Jack."
"Get in your room NOW." is all I could muster at the moment. He knew he was in trouble because he went willingly and stayed without asking to come out for about 6 minutes while I dealt with Kyla "dying."

Apologies, breathing returning, and hugs out of the way - on to our way to Meme's house we go.
I let the kids cross the street with me, then I ask them to stop until I can pull up next to them. ( for those that don't know how close we live to my mom's it's 8 houses away around the corner ) They don't listen, and off they go out of my sight around the corner. I fly out of my driveway, turn the corner, and see Jack on the ground crying trying to lift his bike up. My tough guy gets up but keeps repeating: "I fell down mom, I fell down!" He was apparently looking back for me and turned his handles into the grass.

We make it to the driveway across from meme's house and I stop in the street to let them pass but Kyla slows down too much, which makes Kade slow down, and Jack's tired rub onto Kade's. This creates a response from Kade loud enough to wake every neighbor that may be lucky enough to still be sleeping. He continues to scream towards my car as he crosses the street, how Jack was "rubbing his tires!"

Once we get to Meme's house, Jack decides he doesn't want to stay and has a huge breakdown. I find him in my car with the doors locked saying: "I'm going with you to your work today!" My mom follows me out the door to try to help, only to be followed by Kyla saying: "KADE SPIT ON ME," while frantically rubbing her hair as if to get the spit out. I take Jack home to get his blanket and bring him back kicking and screaming to my poor saint of a mother.

I tell him I love him and off I go to work. It's finally over, my morning is finally over. You would think.

The phone rings and it's my mom. Before answering it I had decided that with my luck someone now needs stitches or something. Not quite, but it certainly wasn't a call to just tell me everything was fine. Kade was continuing his torment of the other children, and Jack tried to escape again. I guess Kade had declared that he didn't want to be there anymore, and he just wanted to talk to his mom! Once she got me on the phone, he was not willing to talk to me, and I figured as much because he does this sort of bluffing thing, all the time.

Mom and I discussed the plan of action for the day, and so far so good... Or should I say, I'm assuming no news is good news.