What an interesting day. It started with its usual craziness of a home with two little children. The phone began ringing around 10 with a distraught mother over her bed. This bed is a source of extreme agitation for all of us involve. She spent all night trying to fix the bed the way that it is supposed to be. The unfortunate thing is none of us know the way that it is supposed to be-it changes daily it seems. She calls crying and begs me to describe how to put the bed together???? :{ How in the world am I to do that? I quickly get out of it by saying that I can show her but cannot describe it to her. I tell her I can come up She does not want them there because they are too noisy. Rather she does not want my son to come up only my daughter. I explain that it is impossible and I only can come if I bring both. She hangs up in distress and rings back a few seconds later. After fifteen minutes on the phone, she wants me to come up. Now the fun begins. She will get very upset if I take too long so I have to figure out how to get two little ones ready to go up to my mothers in less than five minutes. Frantic shouts to my daughter to use the bathroom, get her socks and shoes, gather the toys, pick up her mess, get the juice cups, and she is taken care of. Now for my son-pick him up strip off the clothes, change the diaper, redress while he wiggles (forgot his socks and shoes-important detail for later), wash his face, grab a few snacks and juice, and we are out the door. Opps run back in for diaper bag and back out I go. Total time lapse is running at about 6 minutes. As we drive up to my mothers, I am feeling a bit overwhelmed. I have vowed not to bring both children up since it is only a recipe for disaster.

I get slightly irritated and vent to/ at my dad (thanks by the way and sorry) for not having a schedule in place for who is on what days. Get up there and mom is freaking out. She does not greet the children-she is too fixated on her bed. She wants to explain what she has tried that does not work and it takes her over 10 minutes to say this simple statement: I put the white quilt on and then the blue blanket followed by the green comforter.

What she said was:I took it that white one the Amish thing be quiet daisy be quiet kids, stop and listen wait that thing I mean the Amish put on first. I then put the other one not that one but that one on you know what I mean the green no the blue wait the soft one argggggggggggggg I mean I put the white Amish on but it was no good but I did it and then the blue thing-or the green no the blue then the green.oh forget it-screaming and crying banging the bed. You get the picture.

All the while I gentle move around her holding one playful kid and quietly whispering-be patient to the next playful kid, meanwhile placing the blue blanket on the bed and securing it with safety pins, then the green one and hide the white ones (there are two) over in the corner . My mother sighs a breath of relief and says that is it. Thank you.

On to making lunch. At this point my children need to eat so I begin cooking some quick meals. I ask my mother if she wants something and she directs me to some frozen lasagna. I begin to prepare it and she starts freaking out. She runs to her room and gets upset because she does not eat this early. She tells me I am trying to control her and I ruined her food. she keeps going back and forth until she gets upset that my daughter is no longer waiting to play but watching the tv. She starts to cry because she thinks my daughter no longer wants to play with her, not realizing that she keeps leaving Kenzie to yell at me. At this point, my son Connor screams out in pain. Forgotten shoes come into play. I use shoes because of all the stuff she has broken-I am never sure if the floors are ok. Ironically, today is the day I forget the shoes and also the day my son steps on glass. Quickly I remove the glass and thankfully it all comes out. Food fiasco forgotten, daughter and mother go off to play, I finish cooking and Connor keeps playing. Gather everyone to eat and Mom is upset because I interrupted their play session. I explain that we were not here to play but to fix the bed. She starts crying. The kids eat, mom cheers up, I clean up and off to our home for a much needed nap.

Best part of the day. Half way into the nap my mother calls me crying hysterically. She tells me: Two men came they took it. They took that thing. More tears more screams. I ask her what thing thinking a car or something. I ask her why she let them in. She says they just did for Dad they came and took it. My favorite, its gone gone gone. I ask again what thing. She says the Ding ding ding ding ding thing. Totally confused I ask her again a few objects. Finally it dawns on me -Oh the piano, I say. Yes-the piano they took it its gone. At this point I tell her I need to go call 911 thinking this is theft happening and I am about to wake both kids. I run to get my keys, my purse, and gather the stuff for the kids when I hear a faint chuckle and she says hahah it is that day. My mouth drops as I realize that I just got fooled by my mother. Nothing can take the smile off my face today. April fools day was always a day my mom had fun and it has been three years since she has tried and only one other time in the last year has my mom shown any understanding of humor. Thanks to my uncle for letting her know it was April Fools Day. Since his phone call, she must have spent that time figuring out something to do. Classic-truly classic.