Sitcom Moments

Once when talking with my mother-in-law about less than ideal moments in life (cars breaking down, hauling kids through the pouring rain, grocery bags breaking, etc.), she relayed to me something a friend once told her. The friend said that whenever she found herself in a trying moment she would ask herself, "if I were watching this happen on a sitcom, would I be laughing?" If the answer was yes, she would make an effort to laugh at the situation, rather than become frustrated by it. Ever since she shared this with me, I've tried to think in this way when those moments arise.

Earlier this week I had the opportunity to put this into practice. While warming up milk for Keira, I heard a very distinct and unpleasant noise erupt from Carson's rear-end. Not being one to wait, I immediately picked him out of his jump-up and grabbed a clean diaper, thinking I could just change him in the living room. Before changing his diaper, I grabbed Keira's now warm milk and propped up her bottle with a blanket so she could eat while I changed Carson. As I unbuttoned Carson's snaps I become concerned...this was not going to be a quick change. Shoot, strike one! There was poop way up his back and it had already gone though his onesie and was on it's way through to his overalls. Without hesitation I carried him straight to the tub and started to undress him. He of course starts to cry, as the running water is loud and he is slipping around in the huge tub, because he is squirming while I'm trying to hold him up with one hand and undress him with the other. (I won't put him in his baby tub until he has been thoroughly rinsed.) To add to the moment, the weather was starting to get really stormy outside and giving a bath wasn't exactly what I would have preferred to be doing in this moment, but the other option was certainly not any better!

I hadn't had Carson in the bathroom a whole thirty seconds when I heard more cries coming from downstairs where inevitably, Keira's propped bottle was no longer propped. I knew it would happen eventually since she isn't great at holding a bottle, but I was hoping it would last a little longer. The poor girl was quite hungry and if her brother hadn't messed himself she'd be happily eating, but I'm only one person and I did the best I could do for her at the time. There was nothing I could do for her that would be helpful at that moment. No person should have their dinner messed with by a person who is up to their arms in poop! Strike two!

As I continued to struggle to undress and rinse my poopy son amidst the cries I hear my phone alarm going off downstairs. At this point I start to smile to myself and think, "well, that's not going to get turned off any time soon! Oh well!" As if these things demanding my immediate attention were not enough, in the middle of the alarm going off a call also starts coming though on my phone...it's Joey's ring too. Strike three! I'm officially defeated! I laughed and sarcastically thought to myself, "is there anyone one else who would like anything?! This is crazy! This is a sitcom moment! "

Thankfully, this is where the chaos ended. The fire alarms didn't spontaneously go off nor did the doorbell didn't ring, but there is always next time, and hopefully I will come out laughing again! :)