November 14, 2003 - 9:22 p.m.

Confessions of a Home Improvement Show Addict

9PM on a Friday night. I've already watched Trading Spaces Family, and I am now watching House Rules. Next on the program is What Not To Wear. Admittedly, I am a total dork, but my excuse (pitiful as it may be) is that I am good for nothing more than vegging this evening.

This week, I put a lot of effort into work again. B's mood swings seem to be evening out a bit, and I have been trying to give him plenty of attention and affection to keep it that way. On Tuesday, M had a bit of a bathroom accident at her gymnastics class. That was stressful, because even though her teacher found an extra leotard for her to borrow, she was too worried that the other kids would notice she had changed and ask her why to rejoin the class. Though I told her it was fine with me if she stayed out in the waiting room with me and her brother while H finished class, she felt bad about leaving early. Poor kid. On the bright side, her dad later thanked me for trying to cheer her up by relating my own embarrassing childhood incontinence story. Yes, I once peed all over a drugstore floor, because my mother didn't believe that I really had to go.

Then, despite a marked improvement in H's attitude about homework, she had a pretty big breakdown this week. Faced with a particularly challenging piece of math homework (who asks a 3rd grader to multiply a two digit number by a three digit one as just one of eight word problems?) she just got frustrated and began crying and complaining that it was "impossible" and that I was mean. We eventually got the job done, but it was a major headache.

Today I actually had to work, unlike most Fridays. Despite not having school and getting to spend almost the entire day with his mom, including a trip to Chuck E. Cheese, B was not happy when i showed up around 2:30 to take over. It just goes to show you how much kids are tied to routine. Monday through Thursday, which are what he calls "Kris days", he's happy to see me and lets his parents head off to work with a hug, a kiss, and a quick wave. On Fridays, though, he's used to having Mom around, and he felt the need to take out his disappointment on me. He got over it pretty quickly, though, after short tantrums over wearing his jacket and getting into the car to go get the girls from school.

So, another stressful week finds me recuperating on the couch with my favorite makeover TV shows and wishing I had a bathtub in which to soak. :) Meanwhile, my weekend lies ahead blissfully unscheduled.

today's project: I finished Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix!

musing about: the frightening amount of junk food I've been consuming...

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