When I'm Done, I'm Done

There comes a point in the day, usually around 5, when I can feel myself wanting to be done with the day. I am either trying to get dinner on the table or trying to get out of the house for a baseball game (and at this point in the baseball season, usually begrudgingly) but all I can think about is crawling in bed and relaxing. By the time 8:00 rolls around, I am done. I mean really done. I feel bad but I just want my kids to go to bed so I can have an hour or so to decompress, read or watch tv. Instead they fight sleep, they fight with each other and they fight with me. I become the mean, mean mom that resents the fact that they won't just go to bed. Nico thinks it is some status symbol to stay up late. Like he can't be a teenager without staying up until 11 every night (nevermind that he has camp at 9:00am every morning). The twins still view bedtime as a punishment so anytime I say, "It's time for bed," it's met with, "NOOOOOOO!!!!! I'm sorry. I'll stop." You would think, at nine years old, they would understand that no matter what, bedtime is going to come every day.

It's getting bad (and I know it will only get worse) with Nico and his social life. He thinks every night is a party and that they should be allowed to stay out until 10 or 11. Luckily, some of his friends' moms are also getting tired of it so we can band together and shut it down. I'm okay with one late night during the week and God knows the weekends are late nights but c'mon...give me a break. There should be time in there to just be a family. When I am complaining about the school year, you all have permission to remind me of this silver lining: During school, it's a given that there is no hanging out after dinner so things get shut down a lot earlier. Though Nico did share with me that sometimes he just likes to stay home so maybe my mindset is rubbing off on him. Like I said, when I am done, I am done. It's not bad once in awhile but all the time gets to be too much. Am I alone in feeling that way? In my old age, am I becoming anti-social?

An update to my anniversary woes: Leo brought sushi for lunch which if he wasn't fishing (he had to leave right away so he just dropped it off so we didn't even eat it together) would have been a really sweet gesture and a Cookies by Design basket which normally is my most favorite thing in the world but since I have gained 10 pounds (obviously the chocolate and strawberries and hot chocolates caught up with me), I am trying to eat healthier (read lose weight, which I had told him the night before). That surprise was lovely in thought but missed the mark. A great gift/gesture would have been getting up with the kids so I could go to Lifetime (I could bring the kids but we are going on vacation tomorrow so I don't want them getting sick and Gia usually does) but intramural "old man" basketball took priority. I went to my mom and dad's for dinner and it was a really nice time. Nico stayed home with me all day (I think he felt bad that I was bummed) and so it was nice having him at my parents and I think they were happy that he kept asking to stay longer. Those are the times that make the best memories so I am thankful that the whole day wasn't a bust.