Missing Scales

We have had some trying days the past few weeks...but there have been moments interspersed that make me feel like someone is watching us, KNOWING that I need something good to happen immediately, and it does.

The other day, Henry got up from his nap and came in my room without crying. That in itself is enough to make me whisper thank you thank you thank you under my breath as I gather his sweaty body for a post-nap hug. But right before he woke up, I turned on the TV - which I rarely do in the day - and on the station the TV was already turned to was a taped version of A Prairie Home Companion before Garrison Keillor was even old. I was crocheting at the time, which means I am old, especially because I was elated about watching the taping of a radio show I love. So Henry came bopping in, and curled up next to me on the bed and watched it with me for about 20 minutes and LIKED IT. He is so my child.

Svea slept through the night TWICE this week. Not on consecutive nights, but still - TWICE.

Henry learned the word "frustrated" this week and not only says it very cutely, he knows what it means and when I am feeling that way. He even thinks Svea is "frustyyerrrrattedddtt" when she cries.

Svea crawled awkwardly forward about 4 feet tonight. She also says "Mama" and reaches for me, though we haven't decided if she really knows that I am "Mama."

SO there have been some bright moments. There have also been some trying ones.

Like last night when Henry slapped me on the back as hard as he could in a fit of overexcited-end-of-the-day joy. Then aimed for Svea's head with his foot.

And when Svea cried big tears for 50 minutes because I was trying to feed her breakfast through a bottle instead of a breast.

Or when they BOTH poop FOUR times in ONE day and they wait for Brian to be gone to do that.
I get so unnerved at moments I think someone is plotting against me.

I can rememebr watching bad cartoons as a child - like the Smurfs and Dungeons & Dragons and Thundercats and stuff - and there is one scene I will never forget:
There is a big bad Dragon that the little bitty Children are supposed to slay. I am guessing this is from an episode of Dungeons & Dragons? So anyway, the Children have wobbly bows and arrows, made of twigs or something, and they have to shoot the Dragon who is flying, 96 times their size and breathing fire. But as the Dragon flies overhead, they notice that the scales on the Dragon's belly are perfectly aligned, except for one little spot where a scale is missing. They remember that the Wise Old One had told them along their Way that if they encounter a certain Dragon, to look for that weak spot and even the smallest arrow could pierce the area with no scale and the Dragon would be slain!

So how is it that I turn into a fire-breathing terror and both of my child spot where I am missing scales on a daily basis?