Michelle Smiles

Teaching my children to question authority, except mine.

(S)Lacking

October30

I’m tired people.

You can all send my mom of the year award to my home address.  I took Sabrina to a Halloween party hosted by my mom’s club yesterday afternoon.  The invite didn’t say anything about costumes so I didn’t dress her up.  Someone working on more hours of sleep might have deduced the appropriateness of costumes by the title of the invitation “HALLOWEEN PARTY” but not me.  So we show up sans costume.  My children were the only non-costumed children present.  I made the excuse that it was too cold for her to wear her costume rather than owning up to my mis-firing brain cells.

And after you mail out my mom of the year award, you can call children protective services to report me for being a dumbass.  While at said party, I took Tessa out of her carrier to hold her on my lap.  I put her back in her carrier (ie car seat) and covered her back up with a blanket so that I could play a game with Sabrina.  I then put the car seat back on the stroller and then put it back in the car.  I NEVER STRAPPED HER BACK IN IT.  We drove home with her just hanging out in her car seat with nary a strap to be seen around her tiny body.  Thankfully, we were less than 5 miles from home and arrived safely.  But seriously, I shouldn’t be allowed to operate heavy machinery or care for small children right now.  I can’t believe I did that.

Sabrina is reassuring Tessa that she will have her back when Mommy does stupid stuff:

posted under parenting
27 Comments to

“(S)Lacking”

  1. On October 30th, 2008 at 12:55 pm Krystal Says:

    Your award for fabulous use of the colloquialism “nary” should arrive in 2-6 weeks 🙂 You are so funny – with or without sleep!

  2. On October 30th, 2008 at 1:00 pm Jenny Says:

    Ha! Once my mom sent out Surprise Party invites to all of my sister’s friends – this was great but my mom forgot one important detail…to write “Birthday” on the invitations. Yep, everyone showed up without one single birthday present. My mom cried at my sister’s party.

    My sister turned out fine. Everyone does 1 or 7,000 dumb things while trying to be a perfect parent. If you have all day I will tell you all the things I have done so far…

  3. On October 30th, 2008 at 1:01 pm Diane Says:

    I have done the same thing, and so have a few of my friends in our sleep deprived states. Don’t beat yourself up too much.

  4. On October 30th, 2008 at 1:27 pm H in NC Says:

    Yesterday, I shoplifted 2 items from the grocery-store-that-shall-remain-nameless. In fact, I’m not even sure it was actually ME who committed the crime. I’m going to blame the 2 year old for the baby vegetables I discovered in my purse this morning. But the french baguette? That was completely my fault. All in all, I “stole” a whopping $1.49 worth of merchandise. Someone call the cops.

  5. On October 30th, 2008 at 1:32 pm mama k Says:

    I’m embarrassed to say I’ve done the carseat thing… twice over the past 2+ years. I notice about 2 minutes down the road and try not to crash while frantically pulling over to buckle him in. Ack!

  6. On October 30th, 2008 at 1:43 pm Anne Says:

    I did that car seat thing once, too. I was horrified. And I didn’t even have sleep deprivation or more than one child as an excuse…
    You have the cutest kids ever!!!

  7. On October 30th, 2008 at 1:45 pm Laura Says:

    Guilty of the car seat unfastened! AND, I don’t even have the lack of sleep excuse. The only good thing, is that my son was old enough to tell me: Mommy, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh! (he was about 18 months). Rest assured you still qualify for the MOTY. 🙂

  8. On October 30th, 2008 at 2:12 pm Kim Says:

    Yep, car seat thing here too! Do we all get awards?? 🙂

  9. On October 30th, 2008 at 2:14 pm melany Says:

    Yep – I did the same thing to my son shortly after Pilar came home. It is terrifying when you figure it out! Also, I lost 3 full set of keys shortly after she came home… so I think the whole becoming a mommy of two really takes a toll – and you’ve got a newborn! So, give your self some slack and don’t worry. Your mind will return. Or so I hear…. 😉

  10. On October 30th, 2008 at 2:35 pm TNKerry Says:

    Oh. Don’t worry. You will have MANY more days like thiis over the next 18 years 🙂

  11. On October 30th, 2008 at 4:42 pm Maureen Says:

    I have forgotten to actually buckle my daughter into her carseat twice now. Both times, I was completely horrified. One of the times I was a long way from home too. I got too distracted putting her stroller in the car and never finished buckling her in. I also was not sleep deprived and only have one child!

  12. On October 30th, 2008 at 8:47 pm Bobbi Says:

    HEy, look at it this way. You remembered both children!!

    We all have “Mishaps” as parents. Hey, two weeks after Reese came home, I thought I put him and his carseat in the cart, and thought it was safe. It wasn’t, and I went over a bump, and he and the carseat fell to the ground!! He was fine, I was FREAKED!!

    Does Tessa take a bottle?? Sounds like she needs to, and Steve needs to do some night feeds.

  13. On October 30th, 2008 at 9:24 pm Terry Says:

    OMG! I forgot to strap Tommy into his car seat 2 days ago and didn’t realize it until we were on the interstate. All of a sudden, his head popped up in my rearview mirror…HE WAS STANDING UP IN HIS CARSEAT and DANCING! When I pulled over to strap him in, he thought it was a game and started running around the car like a crazy kid. I had never done that before.

    Not to worry…we all have those days when our minds seem to stay in bed while the rest of our body tries to function without it.

  14. On October 30th, 2008 at 9:34 pm jacki Says:

    ahh..been there. Last year I dressed my kids for the Halloween party at school. They were the only ones dressed up. You just can’t win

  15. On October 30th, 2008 at 9:34 pm jacki Says:

    ahh..been there. Last year I dressed my kids for the Halloween party at school. They were the only ones dressed up. You just can’t win

  16. On October 31st, 2008 at 4:08 am Julie P Says:

    Sigh – I cannot imagine parenting 2 children right now. Ally is so almost 2 and I am in awe of your ability to be a mom to both Tessa and Sabrina. Your daughters are super cute!

  17. On October 31st, 2008 at 5:10 am Kelly M Says:

    Don’t beat yourself up- brain cells diminish at an alarming rate as the # of children increases.

    I actually strapped Lucas into his car seat a few weeks ago and drove a few blocks before I turned the corner and he tipped over. He was strapped in the seat, however the seat was not strapped into the car. And I don’t even have the sleep deprivation to explain it!

    Your daughters are absolutely gorgeous!

  18. On October 31st, 2008 at 6:29 am Vanessa Says:

    Ok I have one that should make you feel a lot better then. My wonderful husband strapped my little niece, who we were raising at the time, into her car seat while I was putting the stroller in the car. Well I asked him if he made sure everything was strapped in right because we had taken the seat out the night before. After assuring me we go to leave and when we pull out of the street I hear Kylie cry and look back and her seat is leaning sideways!!! He didn’t get an award from me but got something a little more memorable if you know what I mean!

  19. On October 31st, 2008 at 7:42 am Amy Says:

    One day at a time sister. You are doing great.

    I too am up for mom of the year. For about the last 3 months Emily has done nothing but talk about being Sponge Bob Square Pants for Halloween. About two weeks before trick or treating I start looking for the costume thinking (erroneously) Sponge Bob is huge, this should not be hard at all (hell I got a Yo Gabba Gabba bed from Canada, I got this). I could not have been more wrong. It’s actually impressive in hindsight. I went everywhere WalMart, Target, Toys R Us, Costume Stores, the mall, K Mart, Kohl’s, Value City. NO ONE had the Sponge Bob costume. OK, not too worried yet due to the power of the internet – again bed from Canada. I went to every site on the internet in search of this Sponge Bob costume and every single place was sold out (PS – I put my email address on at least 2 dozen sites to be emailed when they get more in stock and not one place has emailed me yet). She went as Scooby Doo and Mike and I dressed up as Velma and Shaggy to make up for the heartbreak of not being able to dress up as Sponge Bob. I felt like the worst mom ever.

    We all have our days. When I have more time I will tell you about the Care Bear/chicken nugget incident from the other night.

    Hang in there.
    Amy

  20. On October 31st, 2008 at 8:24 am Ashley Says:

    I’m laughing so hard right now – because I’ve done the car seat thing with my niece more then once!

  21. On October 31st, 2008 at 11:39 am Merrill Says:

    Don’t worry about it. By the Tessa is 2.5, she will have the locking system all figured out on her car seat and be tapping you on the shoulder as you careen down the highway. Been there, done that!

    Merrill

  22. On October 31st, 2008 at 5:03 pm carla Says:

    yep
    done that carseat thing as well.

    does that mean you have to share your reign?

  23. On November 1st, 2008 at 3:46 pm Sig Says:

    That’s OK, I once put one of my babies in the car seat and strapped it.
    But, I forgot to strap the car seat in.

  24. On November 1st, 2008 at 5:07 pm Melissa Says:

    I have also done the carseat thing. When they start climbing in by themselves and you go to strap the other child in, it is easy to forget about the older sibling. Oops.

  25. On November 2nd, 2008 at 8:56 pm Tina Says:

    I also forgot to strap the older child in when I was done getting the little one situated. Whoever said two is easier than one was smoking something. They are two & four now & I still think it was easier with one. But oh so glad I have them both.

  26. On November 4th, 2008 at 3:32 pm Megan Says:

    I, too, have done the carseat thing……..and haven’t realized it until I was home and safely (thankfully!) in the garage. Also, I accidentally stole something from a popular children’s store this week…….I’ve gotta’ watch it when I set things on my stroller!
    I, too, have a 3-month-old. He’s as cute as can be but isn’t a great sleeper, so I blame my stupidity on being tired!
    Megan

  27. On November 5th, 2008 at 12:57 pm Jordana Says:

    I’ve forgotten to buckle a carseat before. Once or twice with an infant seat where we’d put a blanket over a baby and never noticed the unstrapped condition. And then once or twice when we were running around and just forgot the toddler, who reached over to grab my arm as I pulled out of the driveway and said, “Buckle me in!” Good thing someone is paying attention in the family.

Email will not be published

Website example

Your Comment: