One Groundhog day, please! #parentingfail do-over

I want a do-over day for yesterday.
A do-over parenting day!

This is what today looks like (photo on top by Dad), and all the blame needs to be placed in front of the parents...
(Sleeping in the car while waiting for the school gates to open this morning...)


It was such a lovely day outside yesterday, with a breakfast with friends and playing outside...

Ennis Nursery coffee shop

The warning sign only put a giggle on our faces...

And the wish on the food was an extra bonus!

"May you have the best that life can give you!"

What could have gone wrong?

We had to take the student back to Varsity.
That is a three hour trip, and we were exhausted last night.

We fell on the coach with you, snacked on junk, and did not stuck you in your normal routine of bath, story-time and bed!
We watched the Sunday night movie!

(Bad, bad parents!)

I so regretted it this morning when we tried to dress you while still sleeping
(That is not so unusual, but the tantrums that were accompanying it were an extra reminder!)

And all I could say: "I am so sorry, my little one!"

Today is one of those days I wish I could have stayed at home and do a goundhog day (such as in the movie!)
In the groundhog day I would have done everything the same (and enjoyed it even more!), but I would have stuck to your bed-time routines...
Even though you love to stay awake until the darkest hours...
Even though you love staying up with us...
Even though you are not always in a mood for a bath...
Even though you enjoy snacking on junk with us...
Even though you enjoy watching movies with us...

It is not that difficult? Is it? Is it?

Parenting fail!

Please tell me we are not the only ones slipping up every now and again?

                                                                             ______________

But!
Today I will be better! Even though I won't get yesterday again...
I will make my own groundhog day of better parenting!
I promise!

3-year old toddlers are...

... more difficult than two-year old toddlers;
... throwing the most terrible tantrums (Terrible Two's got nothing on this!)
... challenging;
... opinionated;
... knows better than us;...

You would think that I a talking about my daughter of 18, but No!
The Toddler is really giving us a hard time!

Maybe it is just the age?
Maybe it is her personality coming through?

Maybe she just needs the stimulation of school? (She is starting at her new school on Thursday! Can't be soon enough!)

And we are struggling with getting her to sleep at night. She is still awake! After a sleep drive, and her dad and me taking turns in bed with her. It s 10:30 pm and she is wide awake...(The effects of the holiday, I know!)

We are back at work tomorrow!

Send in the reinforcements! Please!

I want to make blog posts about my New Year resolutions, and I even want to take a look back at 2011...
As soon as I get some time!


Tell me it is not only our 3-year old who is giving us more grey hair?.

(Photo: Elise du Toit Photography)

Nobody as surprised as the surprised mother

I wanted to write the blog post last night, but we had a sleep fail night, and the off switch did not work, except for both parents! (Nothing new!)
We staggered out of our room after 11 last night, with washing that still needed to be hanged, and the lights to be switched off in the rest of the house... (No wonder I don't get time to read!)

The Toddler was 35 months yesterday. 3 is a month away.
And.... Ta-da-ta-dum!-ta-dum! is nappy free.
She announced last Thursday evening that she did not want to have a nappy on at bed-time, and that was it!

The status update on Friday
about the first nappy-free night at MomAgain@40 FB page

She is wearing panties 24-7, and she tells us when she wants to go...

Nobody is as surprised as me!
Something just clicked!

I was beginning to worry about the deadline of next year and the new school...She is supposed to be potty trained by then.

It just shows you! All in their own time...

"I can do it!"

It dawned on us last night! We don't need to buy those expensive pull-ups or Pampers or Huggies... anymore!
*Happy dance!*

Related posts:
Up close with the toilet
Potty training - report back
Wordless Wednesday #69 - More uses for the potty