Pressing My Buttons

Lately, my life has consisted of various frustrations, ranging in degree from minor to (what seems like) extreme, and some days, all the little frustrations run together into a big, fat blob of wanting-to-crawl-back-into-bed-but-I-can't-because-even-if-I-hadn't-drank-so-much-coffee-the-kids-are-still-awake-anyway frustration. Sigh.

Take for instance, the toilet. The first time I heard my twins' laughter coming from the bathroom, I thought to myself, "Oh, isn't that just the cutest sound! They must be trying to reach their bath toys." I'm sure you've already guessed what I actually found when I walked in: two little radiantly happy boys who had found a constant supply of water for splashing, whose sleeves and grinning faces were soaked and dripping with toilet water.

"Ack!" I cried, running to pick them up and scold them, telling them, "Dirty! Dirty! Yucky! We don't play in the toilet!"

I set them down, despondent, in the living room, and stripped off their wet shirts, wiped their faces and hands, and tried to disinfect them. They gazed, longingly, at the bathroom.

The next day, I had forgotten to put the baby gate up (thinking ridiculously that the previous day's scolding had made an impression), and I once again heard the dreaded sound of giggling coming from the bathroom.

Yep. Just re-read the above for an accurate description of what followed. Again.

The only difference is, the second time I had the presence of mind to scrub the toilet bowl clean, "just in case."

And it's a good thing I did, too. I don't know how the little rascals conspire to drive me so crazy, but they have gotten into the toilet at least one more time since the first two days of insanity. And if they're not splashing in the toilet, they're holding on to my knees and crying while I'm trying to -- finally -- eat my own breakfast.

There just isn't enough coffee in the world, lately.

I've been trying recently to cut back on my coffee consumption, actually. But, since I am prone to seasonal depression, and this is my first winter in a while without my antidepressants (see my other blog for reasons), I decided it would be foolish to give up such a happy drink in the middle of winter. Did you know coffee stimulates adrenaline and dopamine production? Hence the lovely burst of energy and happy euphoria. :)

Add the myriad other small frustrations to the toilet-splashing twins and the caffeine guilt -- like renovations, being housebound, needing an hour just to dress four wiggling boys in snowsuits, and not having any time to paint, and then not having any inspiration when I do have time to paint, not to mention the never-ending drudgery of housework that needs doing again as soon as I've done it -- and I'm feeling a little, shall we say, antsy lately.

I keep looking for the off button for all these frustrations, but so far, the only thing I've found is a reset button. And the problem with a reset button, of course, is that it doesn't turn things off for good! But I suppose it's better than no button at all.