outnumbered

Each day is filled with so many things - my kids being sweet and silly.  Learning something new, saying or doing something new or sweet or amazing.  Fighting. Hitting. Crying.  Cleaning up messes.  Arguing.  And that's all in the first hour of them being awake.

It really is exhausting.

Tuana wakes up and snuggles next to me.  Tomris wakes up and joins the snuggle but bumps Tuana and Tuana is jealous so she squawks at Tomris.
Tomris screeches in frustration because she can't get her shirt off.
They ask for a treat - it's 8am and we haven't had breakfast.
I'm trying to get downstairs - Tuana's hungry and doesn't want to be changed or dressed.  She cries and resists.
Tomris asks to go to the neighbors house.  It's 8:10am.
At the breakfast table:
Give me juice!
That's not how we ask.
I wanted the green spoon.
Tomris, I'm pouring the milk.
I didn't want milk in my cereal.
Mom, why haven't you given me a fork?
You can get the fork.
You always say that to me!
Stop screaming, the entire neighborhood does not want to hear your screaming in the morning.

and so on...

Watching other people's kids, I hated hearing the kids scream or cry - I always had a solution in mind.  I think if I watched mine from a distance, I would have one too - but right smack in the middle of it all its hard to think straight.  Shell shocked.  I am totally outnumbered.