Opposite day

I remember when I was a kid, I had this friend who liked to mess with me.  She punched me in the arm when she lost her last life in Super Mario Brothers, saying, "YOUR fault!" It totally wasn't.  She kicked the backs of my feet when we walked so I'd trip over myself.  She'd take my soda when I wasn't looking and not tell me where it went for the REST of the day. 

And one thing she loved to do was say, "It's opposite day." and then answer all my questions in the opposite.  For example.  I'd say, "Hey, wanna walk down to the mall and get some candy?" "No." she'd say. "Oh." I'd say, disappointed. "Okay." "It's opposite day!" She'd exclaim! "No means yes!" "Okay!" I'd say, "Let's go." "No." she'd say.  Then I'd be confused and tired and not want to go on anymore with the conversation. 

So anyway, this morning made me feel like that, in a way.  It is my turn to get the kids up and dressed this week and I spent some time in the morning focusing my energy and promising myself I'd be patient and kind, all the way through.

And I WAS!  Even when Lucy put her underwear everywhere but where it belonged and Coen refused to get out of bed until we were halfway downstairs and then wanted me back up to watch him get dressed.  Even when they both refused to eat the top part of their banana bread because you can TELL there are bananas in there and that's "duhschusting". Even when it was time to go and I received protests and whining after I gave them five extra minutes to play after their shoes were on.  And when we were heading out to the car and Coen stopped in the yard to smack baseballs with an errant bat, I was patient.  I said in my sweetest voice, "Come on, darling, it's time to go!" 

And Coen, emerging into the garage side door that I had been patiently holding open for him, said, "Wow, mom, you're getting pretty frustrated this morning."

WHAT THE?!!! 

Well, you win some.  You lose some.  You are accused of losing some that you are actually winning.
That's the lesson here I suppose.  Either that or it's opposite day.