Keep Calm and Carry On...repeat ad nauseam...

So, call me cynical, call me jealous, but I have always been a bit "leery" of people who's blogs seem a bit TOO perfect. People who present their lives in a way that seem just so incredibly cute and awesome that nothing bad apparently ever happens. You know the kind I'm talking about. I'm not referring to anyone personally here, I'm just saying that there have been some blogs that make me wonder...whoah-are they for real??? I know that some use their blogs to show off whatever creative craftiness they are currently creating...or how adorable their kids or spouse are...and not really delving into the deeper corners of their lives. I can't blame them for wanting to put forth their best self--but, I'm a realist. I like to know what's really going on with people--the good, and the bad. I think it is more interesting that way. I hate talking to people like that too...people that NEVER act like anything is EVER wrong in their life...it just doesn't ring true to me! Life has it's ups and downs people--hasn't everyone NOTICED? Anyhow, so I like to think that I can keep it real here for you people--my ever devoted audience of friends and familia. Plus, I would hate to ever make someone else look at my life and think "wow, her life is perrrrrrfect!" haha, so in this light, let me tell you about yesterday.

Ever since my sister Amelia introduced me to the perfect phrase: "Keep Calm and Carry On" it has turned into my personal parenting mantra. Yesterday was one of those days. All morning Oliver was bugging Everett and being naughty till I was at my wits end...then lunch was a display of hyperactivity like I have never seen before. Oliver had chugged like three glasses of chocolate milk really fast, then plowed through almost half a can of green beans...but me, in my infinite wisdom basically forced Oliver to try ONE bite (just one bite was all I wanted of him!) of his pasta...but the bite I gave him was apparently too big to chew whilst jumping around, and so he got the gag reflex and started puking all over the dining room, then I got him to the bathroom where he got the gag reflex AGAIN because I didn't rinse his mouth out fast enough and puked all over the tub and the new, practically sterile toilet that Aaron had just installed. I don't know why it bothered me so much that he was puking on the "new" toilet--I mean, that's what its for, right? And I am absolutely horrible at dealing with puke--I was screeching with disgust and probably freaking the boys out even MORE. I was not winning any mothering awards. If only he would sit still while eating--that's definitely a rule I've gotta be more firm on. Poor Everett had to witness this whole meltdown between Ollie and I, and it was making me feel even WORSE. After everyone and everything was cleaned up and Aaron had come home from work for lunch, he helped me get out of the house with the boys, and the day started to look up.
THEN, as we were about to leave to take Aaron back to work, we saw a random normal looking guy with a HUGE duffel bag walk up to our neighbor's house and steal their son's bike. He just took off on it! Aaron was like "HEY--STOP!" and since we were already in the car, we followed him down the street till he ditched it besides someone's house and jumped a fence. WEIRD. I rode it back to my neighbors and got a hero's welcome--haha. We saved the day! Oliver kept saying that we had to look for the "Bad guy with the SCAAAAAARY EYES" I was like, "I'm so glad we live in an area where my son NEEDS to keep his eye's pealed for guys with "scaaaary" eyes." (SARCASM).
SO, in reflection on it all I realized: 1. I gotta KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON--haha, but seriously, I gotta stop getting so emotionally worked up over things! And 2. That things can ALWAYS get worse...like what if Aaron hadn't come home for lunch and that creepy "normal" looking guy had tried to rob our house while I was home alone with the boys?? I don't know...he was obviously up to no good..
SO, I admittedly have a lot to learn when it comes to mothering. You can all get rid of your guilt at being imperfect mothers. Nobody's perfect at it! Seriously. No matter how sweeeeeeeet their blog is! Haha. Oh, and if worse comes to worse sing this song that has carried me through the years (to the tune of Old McDonald) "I like myself, I like myself...I am OKAAAAY." And today, was ALOT better.