Sunday, September 11, 2005

How's your day?

Have you had a bad day? Really? Well, you can be grateful for one thing. My mother-in-law didn't call you.
Today was a day when napping did not occur. Boy Terror slept in until 9:30, and therefore he screamed, yelled, and threw things rather than nap when I put him in his bed. The noise got Girl Terror out of bed. In desperation, I told them we would go for a walk in the new wagon, in order to kill a few minutes of the long afternoon ahead. That's when MIL called.
She just wanted us to know that she is back on-line, and to give us her e-mail address. I gave her mine (stupid! stupid!) and then she asked me for Hubby's. I don't know his. I could guess, and if I had to I could find it, but for his mother I went with the easy answer of "I don't know it." She was shocked. Shocked and concerned. How could I not know my own husband's e-mail address? Don't we share a computer? I pointed out that I don't e-mail him. I just walk into the next room and talk at him. She said "You should look into it. You never know who he's talking to on there." Huh? She thinks her son has a secret e-mail life?!
By this time the Terrors were more than ready to head out the door. They were over-tired, bored, and twitchy. She could here them running around in the background, I guess, because she said "It sounds out of control there. I better let you go." I told her no, not out of control, just impatient. She said "They're always like that?!" as if the kids were hacking each other up with machetes. She continued. "I miss seeing them, like last summer, but if that's normal for them I'm not sure I could handle it..."
And there went my decently cheery mood. I was ready to deal with non-napping toddlers. I was okay with Hubby being gone to town (to buy my an exercise bike!). But I was not in the right frame of mind to have my crazy mother-in-law give me her opinions on my children.
No matter how bad your day was, remember, it could have been worse. My mother-in-law could have called you.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nothing like an out of touch elder trying to give us kid advice. I just tell my mom, "That's a good idea, I will give that some thought and maybe try that next time."...and then I just go and do it how I want anyway. lol

Anonymous said...

He he, thanks now I feel much better.

OldHorsetailSnake said...

Please, PLEASE don't tell her about Zaba Search. It's got my phone number.

Amy said...

My mother-in-law doesn't offer advice, she just assumes I'm not feeding her baby (despite the fact that he hovers around 190) and can't do any better about cleaning the house. They came over for a couple hours yesterday/Sunday...I spend 5 days/week over an hour south at school. I come home for the weekend and my husband has managed to make the mess of 2 people and forgotten how to vacuum. So my MIL looks around disapprovingly, then at me. I smile sweetly and try very hard not to look pointedly at the clock. Marriage is bliss.