Today ran smoothly, except for those moments when it didn’t.

Small stressors, large outbursts from tiny tots, full of the will to disobey. 

Parental moods plummeting with each small tantrum and act of violence toward their sibling. 

The first full nosebleed related to a head butt, appearing slightly dented but hopefully with only cartilaginous damage. I’ll remember that moment when she’s older, and her nose maybe isn’t quite as straight as the other two. 

I’m not even sure what happened; one minute I was yelling at them for the nth time to stop jumping on the bed, then next was howling and storm, followed by the slow trickle of dark fluid from both sides. 

I sighed, kicked the tiny terrorist out of her bed to his howls of protest, and showed her how to hold pressure on it. 

Luckily, the tears stopped quickly, and her pain was mostly hurt feelings. 

I think.

Gratitude was on my podcast this morning, and I felt zen all the way until work. Then I was calm until I got to the end of the day. I was treated to the happy and excited faces of my children screaming down the halls while I frantically tried to shush them.

I was so happy and grateful for the chance to treat them to supper at Dairy Queen, but so tired by the end of it. 

Possibly some of the fatigue was related to the small blizzard I fought my son for, but most was directly related to the crazy level of energy I had in triplicate.

Why are they so exhausting at the end of the day? Is this what happens when they are overtired? At five o’clock? 

Feeding made them even worse, like mogwai fed after midnight turned into gremlins.

They were put to bed an hour early, because we couldn’t make it any longer. Quick bath, quick story, quick head injury and then time out for me.

Deep breaths and gratitude I have such vibrant children. 

Deep breaths, deep breaths.