Miss Hanagan may have had a point...

Yesterday was one of those days. You know those days, right? The cute little stories your kids tell are just annoying, the little one is whiny because of her cold, the older one is bitchy because, well, she doesn't have reason she just is. And she brought home an equally bitchy friend who teases the little girls and doesn't even thank you for dinner. Sighhh....one of those days.

It's been raining here is New England for like 100 days straight. I'm sure that's contributing to my general sense of malaise. That, and the fact that the baby won't nap this week. I miss nap time. I really do. I never realized it before, but that hour and a half a day was the best thing that ever happened to me. There was quiet, there was peace, there were Will & Grace reruns on Lifetime. Those were the days...

We did manage to get outside and play yesterday. The kids played in rain water that had collected in various buckets and pools around the yard. They made mud pies and squished mud in between their toes and flung mud at each other. It was all well and good until baby girl found a straw and drank the muddy, scummy, rain water from the pool. She is so gross. She really is. She would have emptied the thing, smacked her lips and said "Ahhhh" if I had let her. I made both of them strip on the patio and marched them into a warm shower to hose down.

After little ones were in bed, I headed outside to get some air. Jasmine and her friend were out there playing with a soccer ball. I sat on the stairs and they came over to join me. Jasmine's friend is going into high school next year and I asked her what she wanted to do when she got out of school.

"I don't know, teacher maybe?" She didn't sound convinced.

Jasmine piped up "Isn't there a test you can take? It tells you what you should be when you grow up. I saw it in a movie."

"There's no magic test, Jazz. You have to find something you're passionate about, some you love." I tell her. They both looked discouraged. They were clearly hoping to fill in a few circles with a #2 pencil and have someone tell them what job they had. They are both such girls. They pretend to be grown up, but they're not.

I sat for a few more minutes and listened as Jasmine talked about this circle of girls that wear thongs to school.

"Their parents don't know they wear them." She said. "I think they pass the same one around the circle so they can each have a turn with it. "

"Jasmine, it's not ok to share underwear. Actually, it's kinda disgusting." I never thought I'd have to say that out loud.

We sat for a few more minutes then I sent the friend on her way home and Jasmine to bed. I was never so grateful to see the end of a day come. Not that anything particulary bad happened, I was just done. It reminds me of Miss Hanagan's song from Annie - Little girls, little girls, everyday I eat, sleep, and breathe them.....Some women are dripping with diamonds. Some women are dripping with pearls. Lucky me! Lucky me! Look at what I'm dripping with - Little girls!

I'll meet you at the bar, Miss Hanagan.