Week 4....and I'm just barely hanging on

I haven't posted anything in a while because, well, I just haven't had the time.  Mike is out of town for the 4th week in a row and I feel like I'm getting close to the end of my rope.  Luckily, he's been able to come home on the weekends, so I've had a little break so I can't complain too much.  The first week, the kids were really good, but since then they have definitely mastered the art of pushing my buttons.  Here are some of the things that I've had the joy of dealing with in the past few weeks:

• Maizy colored on the walls all the way up the stairs...thank goodness she used cheap dollar store markers that came off easily with rubbing alcohol.  Unfortunately, it brought to my attention the fact that my walls need a serious bath cause now there's a definite white streak through the middle.  Thanks Maiz, that's just wanted I wanted to do!
• Next day, Maizy colored on herself. This time it was with a dry erase marker....could have been a sharpie so I'm grateful it wasn't!
• I came downstairs to this:
• What may you ask is Maizy holding onto in this picture? Well, that would be our Macintosh computer! Isn't that fabulous?!   I was upstairs for like a minute changing the laundry or something and I walked downstairs to see the computer inches away from falling off the desk and Maizy crying and holding onto it for dear life.  And the kicker is, I didn't take this picture.  Miles was insightful enough to realize that I'd want to document our $1400 computer smashing into a million pieces, so instead of helping Maizy sit the computer back up, he grabs the camera and snaps not one, but three pictures.  When I came down, I helped Maizy get the computer upright and then a few days later discovered the photographic evidence.  The kids were in big trouble for this....let's just say they won't be making that mistake again! 
• Last Thursday, I met a friend of mine and her kids at Castaway Cafe in Howell so the kids could play and we could relax in their comfy chairs and talk.  Well, I don't know if you've ever been to one of those indoor jungle gym places, but there's not much relaxation going on for the parents (maybe for some, but not if your kids are like my kids).  First, they needed me to show them how to go down the slide after climbing up to the top of the tallest one and sitting there until I climbed up after them.  Then, my friend left her two year old with me for about 15 minutes so she could run to the outlet mall to exchange something.  I thought, sure, no big deal.  Here's what happened:  As she was walking out, I was scanning the jungle gym trying to spot my two kids and her little boy, Cooper.  I found mine but could not see Cooper anywhere  and I started to panic.  I climbed up to the big slide thinking maybe he was stuck at the top...no luck!  I was just about to go to the desk and ask them to help me look for him when I see him sitting in one of the party rooms they have on the side happy as can be playing with a pile of straws!  You little turkey!  Then about a minute later, I hear a blood curtling scream but I can't see where it's coming from but I think it's in the general direction of my kids.  So I climb up to find a little boy pretty much attacking Maizy and biting her arm.  Poor little thing!  I climbed down with her and as soon as she calms down, Cooper realizes his mom is gone and starts to freak out.  So I'm trying to tell him his mom will be right back but he heads for the bathroom thinking she might be in there.  He's walking toward the bathroom, looking back at me while I'm chasing him and BAM! walks right into a table and his mouth starts gushing blood.  Great!  I look like a terrible babysitter, but I swear I was watching them!  I think I just got confirmation that I shouldn't have any more kids! 
• Our cat, Rico, jumped up on my lap today and I noticed that his whiskers had been trimmed.  Not just a little bit either....he's got about 1 inch of whiskers on either side!  He's an outdoor cat so I thought maybe some kid grabbed him and cut his whiskers as a practical joke or something, but then I remembered my friend who watched my kids yesterday for a couple hours mentioned that Miles came down with a pair of scissors and said something about the cat.  When she told me that I figured it wasn't a big deal cause Rico's really fluffy and has fur to spare.  Now I realize what really happened.  Miles is at school right now, but you can bet we are going to have a little discussion when he gets home!....The cat's fine, but seriously what was he thinking? I'm grateful it wasn't Maizy's hair....I'd be crying if it was. 

Okay so can you maybe understand why I'm ready for Mike to be home?  I'm going scrapbooking with my sister-in-laws this weekend and, man, am I looking forward to it. It will be just the break I need!