Fill Her Up!

A cranky toddler is bad enough. But add on a tired, cranky mother who is going on 34 weeks pregnant and you have one disastrous day! Or should I say week.

I'm not sure what has gotten into Joey these days - maybe a tooth on the way? - but his frustration tolerance has been in the negative range for SEVERAL days now!

Everything is making him mad. He wants to drive my car, but it's time to go in. Tantrum. He wants to eat a meal, but he doesn't want to sit in the high chair. Tantrum. He wants to put the keys in the door and unlock it himself, but he can't reach. Tantrum. He wants his little car to go straight, but it vears to the left. Tantrum.

I am trying my best to redirect the screaming and whining - prompting him to say "help," or "stuck," or any of the other 40 words or so he could use, rather than just melting down. But because I am so tired and uncomfortable myself, I seem to be finding MY frustration tolerance reaching the dangerously low range as well.

I sometimes find myself wondering "What was I THINKING? ANOTHER baby? How am I going to do this?" But then I tell myself "When the baby is born, ALL you will have to deal with is being tired. You won't be carrying around a bowling ball in your stomach. Your nose will not be stuffy anymore and you will actually be able to breathe! When you sneeze or cough, you won't pee your pants!! Rather than waddling like a duck, you'll actually be able to walk straight! You'll see your feet again - and they won't hurt anymore!"

So in these last few weeks, I am going to try my very best to manage my frustration and help Joey to overcome his. Because as positive as I am trying to be - I know that a whole new can of worms is about to be opened when this baby finally arrives! And when that happens, I need to make sure that Joey and I BOTH have full tanks in the frustration tolerance department.