The Hard Times

This is a hard post to write. My oldest is going thru some weird phase right now. He discovered something called independence and it really sucks right now. Almost everything is no. No. I don't want to take a bath. No. I don't want to eat. No. I'm not going to bed. I'm going to watch tv instead. That last argument is the worst one.
Sometimes he will tell me that he's not tired but tells me this with one eye open. This kid is fighting his sleep and he'll tell me somewhat defiantly "I'm not tired". Yes you are. "No I'm not!"

I see myself losing my patience a bit more each day. I want to be one of those moms that really keep it cool every day but when I hear no all the time, how can I?

I placed this pic on this post to remind me that my children are young only once. Especially with my oldest now at an age where he will remember these memories. I don't want him to think- my mom used to reprimand me all the time. It kills me to think of that now. I'm asking to be blessed with something people ask for all the time- patience. And for my children to understand that i love them so much that even when I give them time outs- it's not fun for me to do so.