I am not tired!

The kids wanted to either ride their bikes today or go to a park or both. Michael and I were doing other stuff and therefore neither of us were too motivated to get them out the door. But as my motivation started to wane even more, I thought we better hop to it lest we sit on the couch the entire day. We decided I would take them and Michael would clean out the pantry...just one of the many things on our to do list today.

So I tell the kids to get ready. Parker and Miranda do. Elizabeth looks at me like I was the devil.

I say, "Go put shoes and socks on so we can go."

Another deadly stare.

"Elizabeth, I don't really care if you go or not, but if you want to go, you need to put shoes and socks on."

More stares, no moving.

"Ok. That's fine. You can stay here with Daddy."

"NOOOOOOO! I wanna go, but you need to get my shoes. I don't want to go upstairs alone." This, from the girl, who goes upstairs about 27 times each day to change her clothes.

"Elizabeth, go get your shoes and socks on if you want to go. I'm leaving in five minutes."

More whinning. More not moving.

At this point, we realize that she is tired and needs a nap. (She needs one a lot these days.) So I suggest that as an alternative and she freaks out. But still doesn't go put her shoes and socks on. Now her face is all red, she looks exhausted and we change directions and decide Daddy will take the other kids to the park and I will use my mommy mojo to get her to take a nap. I state this is the new plan and she immediately runs upstairs to get her shoe and comes back down. Too little, too late.

I take her upstairs while she yells, "I WANNA GO TO THE PARK! I WANNA GO WITH DADDY! I'M NOT TIRED!!!!!!"

I continue to take her up where she starts hitting me and screaming in my face with all the rage of...well...something very, very angry.

I pull her down into the bed where she cries for about 8 minutes. I keep telling her everything is ok and she is just tired and I pat her back and stay with her.

Then, she falls asleep. She's been asleep for just over an hour now and I'm cleaning the pantry.

Not as fun as a trip to the park, but I suppose it could be worse. She could still be screaming.