some days are like this...

phew. i am so glad that both boys are finally in bed tonight. quiet. at long last.

last night, little 'un kept me up...a lot. I had logged about 3.5 hours of sleep when Owen started to stir--awake for the day at 7:30AM. thankfully, daddy q was able to stay home for a bit this morning so that i could sleep just a couple more hours. bliss.

then, just after daddy q left, liam woke. and, within about 10 minutes, this house was the noisiest on the block. one was crying...hungry, then just irritable and tired of not feeling good. the other 'un was crying that horrible i'm-a-toddler-and-i'm-gonna-make-myself-cry-even-though-it-isn't-coming-on-its-own. you know the one. the forced cry. the tantrum. the, "I want a cookie right now" cry. well, son, its 10AM AND your daddy already let you have one today. augh. it's gonna be a long day.

So, about 10:30 Liam was calm enough that I felt like he would do okay in the car. So, I loaded up the tantrum-throwing Owen, turned Elmo on the car DVD system (thank Jeep for that), placed Liam in the car seat and JUMPED in the car and practically PEELED out of the garage. Ah...quiet.
we ended up running errands in peace. Owen got a haircut, Liam's birth announcements got mailed, I dropped off a check request to the neighborhood mgmt company. then, i just drove for a bit and enjoyed the quiet (well...except that Elmo was singing and talking away...but, my children were quiet...that was what counted).

we pulled into the driveway just as Liam woke up...hungry and loud. I managed to get Owen down for a nap, but Liam was up for the long haul. so, we walked and walked and walked around. it was one of those days....one where Liam won't be put down even for a second.

then, evening came. Daddy Q came home early and witnessed first-hand the chaos that sometimes ensues while he is at work and/or out of town. For 5 1/5 hours he helped me manage the fragile toddler and irritated newborn.

then, once they were both in bed, daddy q asked me how I can do this every day. well...first of all, it isn't like this every day. only some days are like this. but, more importantly, i can do it just by getting:

a hug from owen that is so giant i can't help be erupt in a smile...

a smile from liam that is so sweet and innocent you know he feels your love....

a laugh from deep in my toddler's belly that makes me feel, well, funny and loved...

a moment when the light bulb turns on for owen and something i am trying to teach him gets through...

a nap with liam on the couch...

those moments, plus so many more, are what I think of when the chaos abounds. they get me through the rough spots and keep me sane. well...i'll be honest...the occasional trip to the spa helps, too (hint, hint, Daddy Q)!!

Aunt Dona...just for you, that was a picture of Owen taking care of the resurrected geraniums! Thank you for bringing life back into my front yard!!!!