Last week, The Dad had to work late and between softball practice and library times and grocery gettin' The Daughters and I didn't get in until late. This means that we didn't get in bed until late. This means that we didn't end the night on a very positive note.
After my 14th "Hush it!" and my 8th time to stomp into their rooms and glare, it was obvious that we were all going to bed on the wrong side. My final act of bedtime bedlam was to stand in the hallway between The Daughters' rooms and scream, "JUST GO TO SLEEP ALREADY!" Then, I turned and tripped over a hoola hoop.
I grabbed that sucker and wondered how in the world it just got there because in my other trips to crazy-bedtime-town, I hadn't encountered or tripped over anything! With the hoola hoop swinging and rattling with those crazy weighted beads, I headed to the garage. After tossing the hoop into the pile of things that don't really have a place, I heard what could only be interpreted as little feet on ceramic tile in the laundry room.
I paused. I waited. Those little stinkers were up out of bed. I squinted my eyes and tilted my head so that I could hear Daughter 1 whisper, "See? She did!"
And then I heard Daughter 2 whisper, "I can't believe she did it."
And I stood in the middle of the garage wondering who did what!
Instead of bursting right back in the house and busting their little non-sleeping butts, I chose, instead, to stand just on the other side of the door and eavesdrop on their late-night selves. I squinted my eyes a little bit more; I cocked my head a little bit more and waited...
Eventually, Daughter 1 whispered, "She's gone, Sister. She's just flat out left!"
Daughter 2, with a little shake in her voice, whispered back, "Do you think Momma left for good?"
Oh. My. They thought I had deserted them! They thought I had shoved them in their beds and headed out on my own! I was a bit saddened to think that they were standing on the other side of the half-opened garage door contemplating their life without a momma. I should have burst right back in the house and screamed for them to go to bed already, but I wanted to hear more...
Daughter 1 - I imagined her with her arm around her little sister in a comforting and not at all threatening way (for once) - whispered, "Sure, she'll be back! She's probably just gone to McGaggles to get a double cheeseburger." Then I heard their little feet scoot back toward bed.
I'm not sure what upsets me more: That they think I would run out and leave them OR that they think I would run out and leave them to go to McGaggles!!
Surely they know that I prefer Sonic, right??
