So You Had a Bad Day...

I called Chris on my way to pick up the kids and magnanimously granted his wish to stay late at work to play XBox 360 and Wii with his coworkers. But only if he promised to do everything I tell him tomorrow. He actually agreed. Of course, I didn't quite put it that way... I only said that he had to get "everything done" as far as errands and cleaning. Which is essentially the same thing. So I'm pleased. (Not smug though, because I know he will just argue semantics with me... for instance, the definition of "need to do.")

I did this without knowing, however, that Athena had a terrible day at school. She was at the end of her rope when I got there, and had been put in time out for giving another girl a raspberry. Her teacher told me that she had spit on another child, but that is not really my definition of spit. Still, it wasn't nice.

Athena was melting down, and as I took her around the school to collect her things (including her little brother), she would stop and collapse to the floor in tears every six steps or so. These were not temper tantrum tears either. Believe me, I've seen enough of those to recognize them. These were tears of abject sorrow. The kid was just depressed. Really sad.

I had her call Daddy, because he can always cheer her up. Didn't work. She just told him she wanted him at home. It broke my heart. It must have destroyed Chris'. Although he is still at work playing games, so it must not have cut too deep.

We ran into Aiden and his family on the way out of the building, and Athena started crying again. When I asked her why, she said "I don't want John to see my accident." (She had an accident while in time out on the playground, and had no more pants to wear). I thought this was very sad and also very exciting, as it means that she is FINALLY embarrassed about her accidents and therefore they may actually CEASE TO EXIST soon. I'm terribly stoked about this, as this whole potty training saga is killing me.

We came home, and she was cheered a bit by changing into clean clothes (go figure) and taking her cough medicine. We had pasta and garlic bread for dinner (yum) and I let them watch Wonder Pets while we ate (normally the tv is off during meals). All this seems to have cheered her. Chris is on his way home now to put them to bed, as I need to start cooking in anticipation of the big par-TAY tomorrow night.

My friend Cathy is on her way here from Maryland to stay for the weekend. She is going to help us prepare for the party and we'll generally talk each others' ears off. It's sort of a big thing for me to have her here because this party originated with the New Year's Party she and I used to throw jointly MANY years ago. She hasn't come to one of these since 2000, which was the last Christmas she lived within 75 miles of me. Before I moved to Raleigh, she and I were inseparable. So I'm really excited.

Oh, but back to the theme of BAD days... it's supposed to snow here tomorrow afternoon. Snow. If no one can get to this party, I'm going to be eating pita chips, hummus, cream cheese and olive finger sandwiches, and chocolate cake for the next three weeks. Bleh.