At 6:17 this morning I heard "Mommmmmmmyyyyy" with such gusto in my daughter Abby's (a.k.a Little Bits) voice I rushed in to see if everything was okay. I thought maybe she had a bad dream, had an accident, or was not feeling well, only to be greeted by "watch a show?" with a soft sweet voice. I knew there was no way she was going back to sleep. The sun was shining in her room, and once she opens her eyes and sees that it is morning (no matter how ungodly the hour might seem to me or any other tired parent) there is no turning back for her. This is what I get, I guess, for being cheap and not getting room darkening shades.

Actually it really is my husband's fault, yet he never suffers the cosequences from it. I would get the room darkening shades; the problem is he probably would not put them up until Christmas, at which point it would be too early for next summer and too late for this one. Damm him lazy, lazy, lazy. That is a very big pet peeve of mine with him. He does work hard at work, yes, I will give him that. I understand it is stressful to have to make decisions about other people's lives right there on the spot, and to see tragedy in the ER all the time, but come on! That does not give him the right to have a free pass at home.

So I told Little Bits "yes" she could watch a show before we got ready for school. She went into my bedroom dragging her pillow, and I had to take her blanket. Hops in my bed, plops herself against the pillows, and snuggles up. Very cute I admit. "Mommmmyyyy! I am hungry." Okay,I go to get her some cheese and crackers (a breakfast of champions in her world). Five minutes later I hear "Mommmmyyyy!" She wants a drink. Okay, two minutes later, "Mommmmmmyyy!" She wants a different drink. It is only 6:42 A.M. Aren't I still off duty? I didn't even clock in yet.

Who walks in but my mother? She smelled the coffee. "Moooommmmmyyyy!" I did not reply. "Mommmmmmmyyyyy!" Still I did not say anything (go ahead think what you want I am NOT a bad mom. We are talking about FIVE trips at least back and forth within ten minutes). "Mommmmmmyyyyy!"

"I will see what she wants, dear" my mother says sweetly. Wow! Thanks, Mom, I think. Not even a nanosecond later my mom returns and says "she is propped up watching Mickey".

"WHAT?" I ask.

"I walked into your bedroom and looked. She was watching Mickey!" my mother groaned, annoyed that I asked her to repeat it to me.

"Let me get this straight...you walked in the room and then walked out???"

"Yes!" my mom indilgnantly replied looking at me as if I were the strange one.

"Thanks, Mom; that was a big help", and as I was about to put my coffee in the mug in walked my daughter to the kitchen. At least this time she had gotten out of the bed, I was ready to get her a bell to ring when she required my service and change my name to Miles.

I now have my goals for the week: 1) get room darkening shades
2) send Mom back
and 3) call marriage therapist asap 8:50 AM