Things come in 3's...right?

In an effort to both be real and to document life as is for my future reading enjoyment/memory, I post today.

So, since it's been 3 days of horrible behavior, tomorrow will be better, right? Right? Have you ever thought, 15 minutes after waking up, "Oh, I wish there were a reset button for today" because you can sense that it's going downhill quickly? Ya, that's been this week.

If you follow my life on facebook you will have seen a common trend on my status':

1) Coffee reheat # 2 and spanking #3 of the day...it's 9:10 am. Gonna be a character developing day, I'm thinking. (Tuesday)

2) How do you break through to a strong willed child? I am dying here. All I do all.day.long is consistently follow through with discipline with Ryan...isn't there anything else? (Wednesday)

3) I'm in "groundhog day" hell...."tomorrow is a new day" isn't so much ringing true for me. Jesus, give me strength and patience. (Thursday)

It's been trying, to say the least. Today, after Ryan had no nap, and a sore bottom to show for it, I called Chris at 4:20, in tears. Good man was home in 30 minutes (and, bonus, stopped at Publix for me to get some more cheese since I ran out while making two new mommy meals today). I've never asked him to come home early before, simply because I couldn't handle the kids or the discipline. Today, different subject. I had "those kids" at the store. There was an especially unlucky moment when all three were crying at once. I saw a girlfriend at Publix who commented on how brave I was to have all 3 at the grocery. Brave? No. Desperate and needing groceries? Yes. (Another sidenote, I've taken them all many times before, today, I shouldn't have pushed it. I knew it, but I had to get food. What's a mom to do?)

Bottom line, we are really struggling with breaking through to Ryan right now. I try not to label and go all "self-fulfilling prophecy" on my kids, but I guess he's in that notorious "terrible two" phase. He's just a little too young to understand the deeper concept of sin and that sinning breaks the heart of Jesus (and caring) and he's a little too young to remember that no matter how many times he gets out of his bed, he will be punished. (and I don't mean getting up to go to the bathroom. This is get up, turn on the light and play with toys mid nap and during the evening.) So not OK.

We've read Don't Make Me Count to Three, Shepherding a Child's Heart and are in the process of reading Bringing Up Boys (all excellent, fyi). Evidently, I will be borrowing The Strong Willed Child from my parents next week for some, hopefully, enlightening reading.

I've been very encouraged by some responses I've gotten and am thankful for godly friends that speak truth and encouragement to this tired mama! From my friends:

...Janelle, I've had many days/weeks where I felt like a failure due to my parental incompetence and sinful, ugly mouth paired with my toddler's constant battling...when it's day after day of getting stymied by tantrums, poopy blowouts, clutter, and bickering, it's TOUGH. God is working on your character in this way. Do not grow weary in doing good. These are the "good works" that were prepared for you. Ugh! I feel your pain; hang in there! Light is around the corner! :)

...Just keep doing it. Sometimes it takes a long while and you just feel the mean mommy routine is never going to end. Then one day you will wake up and realize it has gotten better.

...find a few occasions (maybe even just 3!) per day to be silly with him, put him in your lap, or read/play with him. Even just a few minutes of positive attention help him to know that you LOVE him despite the great amount of discipline that he requires.

...remember that he's most teachable when his heart is turned toward you.