Naughty

Wow, Sydney was naughty at church yesterday.  My brother Dave and his wife were blessing their baby.  Austin wasn't feeling well and so Matt stayed home with him.  I had planned on leaving Sydney home as well, because, well, I am not insane and taking a newborn and a three-year old to an unfamiliar Sacrament meeting alone was not exactly wise.  Zack is fine on his own, Derek still needs some "guidance" during church meetings.  In fact, he and Sydney are the most difficult kids in Sacrament every week.

My plan was foiled when Sydney tells me she is so excited to go to church with her cousin, Kate.  I found out Matt had told her about it to help get to bed the night before.  Rats......Matt assures me I will be fine, most of my family with be there, right?  There will be plenty of helping hands.

As we settled into our benches before Sacrament meeting began, there was much re-arranging of children and babies.  We started out with Zack, Derek, Davis and Meg all sitting with my grandparents.  Sitting next to Meg was basically Derek's dream come true.  He didn't make a peep the whole meeting.  I should recruit her to come stay weekends with me.  Sydney was sitting with my parents, but that lasted, like five seconds.   She is a big time momma's girl.   My dad was holding Ellie and I was sitting with Tara and Brad and their two little girls and Chris and Elise and their little girl.  (Lots of little girls in this family right now.)  I basically had it made.  I was envisioning a quiet, Spirit-filled Sacrament meeting for myself.  Ha!  You say.

Before the announcements were even over, Sydney was back on my lap.  We were quite squished in our bench.  Ellie came back to my arms before the baby blessing and the two wiggled and fussed on my lap until the Sacrament had been passed and I took both of them out to feed Ellie.  I figured Sydney could sit with me in the Mother's room and all would be well.  Ha, Ha!

Sydney has begun to realize that she can get away with pretty much anything while I am feeding Ellie.  Oh, dear.  That girl did not sit quietly, she kept dodging out of the mother's lounge into the hallway.  The room was full of mothers feeding their babies, and there were TWO EXITS.  What kind of mother's lounge has two exits?  Oh man, needless to say Sydney ignored my every threat, Ellie did not eat well and short of sitting on Sydney, I had no way to keep her in there with me.  We were in a strange building with people I didn't know and I was basically positive that Sydney was going to get kidnapped.  :)

Finally, I gave up on feeding Ellie, and took Sydney by the hand and headed to the hall.  Sydney evaded my expert grasp and took off running.  I chased after her as best I could, carrying a spitting-up newborn all the way. Sydney ignored my frantic whisper/yells to GET BACK HERE NOW and hid in every open classroom she could find.  I could see her up ahead of me LAUGHING  at my attempts to grab her.  She opened doors to classes in session, she had the naughtiest glint in her eyes.  Needless to say, when I finally caught her, I had a death grip on that little hand and I marched her into Sacrament meeting and deposited her on my mother's lap and headed right back out to continue caring for Ellie.  I did not hear a single minute of the meeting past the passing of the Sacrament.  Ahhh, such is life for a mom of little ones.

BIG TROUBLE.    Tha  jhnk goodness that was a one-time deal and usually, Matt is right next to me in Sacrament Meeting, keeping all the kids in line.  Well, as in line as is humanly possible.  :)  Two weeks ago, I was looking around the chapel, thinking, Am I the only person in here whose kids are so wiggling and quarrelsome and loud?  It sure felt like it.  I really, really, really dislike having Sacrament meeting last.  Like, a lot.  Plus, Matt and I are out of arms and laps for everyone who still needs one.  I have been just keeping Ellie on my lap, instead of bringing the car seat into church, because I really hate to lug that thing around.  Next week, I may have to bust it out, so I can free up some arms for other littles who need my attention.  Good thing I have the chance to continually work on my church mothering skills....because we will be trying again next Sunday :)   0