Wednesday, September 8, 2010

It's called PERMANENT for a reason......A Mommy S.O.S

Shoulda known things weren't gonna be great today.  Just shoulda known.  Yesterday was all accomplished, happy children, good times.  That HAD to mean today we were in for trouble.  When will I EVER learn.

Now I'm just gonna go ahead and admit something here that might shock a few people.  I sort of suck at this whole Mom thing.  I know, there are a few of you out there that foolishly think I'm all great at it.  Well, I'm not.  See, I just believe that kids have to be kids and they have to learn sometimes the hard way.  I don't believe in coddling them at all, ummm, ever.  And, I also believe that when I need to get ready for the day, well, I just need to get ready.  SO, turn on the TV to "kids show" and let what happens, happen.  It's the risk I'm willing to take so I don't look like a pile of crap, unshowered, unmake-upped and un dressed.  Anyway, for the most part, aside from toy messes and a few screaming matches, things go just fine.  Yes, sometimes a kid gets hurt when the other kids punches them or sits on them or whatever, and occasionally a crayon goes haywire on the table or some wall.  But these things are all easily remedied.

I've learned a thing or two about how to safely let them be, and for minimal damage to be done.  Not the least of which is....

Never EVER leave the chairs down.  This is how my kitchen chairs live 90% of the time.  This morning, I was momentarily retarded and left them down.  My bad.

Because a certain little someone likes to drag them where e'r he may go and get things, whether it be to the sink to "wash" his hands (read, flood the kitchen) or to retrieve these items:


He is obsessed with the flyswatter and with the "colors" pencils, pens, etc. to be found in our claendar holder. (Yes, if you look closely you DO see shows written on the calendar and their premier dates.  THAT would be Jer, NOT me)

And really, it doesn't matter putting the chairs up, because he's learned, if he REALLY wants it, he'll just drag his highchair over or the piano bench and get what he's after.  Little stinker.

So, this morning as I'm getting ready to get in the shower, and Jere is just getting dressed we hear the kids at our door.  Maggie then begins to loudly proclaim, Mommy Mommy, Max is drawing on the door.  He's doing something bad.  Here again, the "I am a sucky Mom" part.  I just said, ok, we'll get there in a minute.  'Cause c'mon, he's done the crayons and pens and pencils thing before.  It washes off, no reason to get your panties in a twist over it. (I'd like to add, for the record, Maggie never ONCE drew on a wall or floor, EVER)

But then, Jer opened the door, and I hear "OH NO, OH NO, this is BAAAD!" "Allyson, get over here now and look at this."

Wouldn't you know it....that little shit found the ONE red sharpie and created some pretty artwork on our door.

You better believe he got his bum bum thrown in a time out.   Too bad I don't have a picture of his big crocodile tears for the unjustness of that one.  When I went in and asked him why he was in time out, he cocked his head to the right and pointed at my door and said "Dooor!"  Yep, that's right, you little stink butt!


It's definitely called PERMANENT for a reason!


This is me NOT happy with the discovery, and helpfully pointing out his work.
I went to work immediately on that stuff.  I used my magic cleaner, it did NOTHING but smear red all over the door.  But that stuff isn't budging.

So I'm sending out an S.O.S ladies.  There are a lot of you out there, all better Moms than me, I'M SURE!  Is there even ANY way to remove stupid magic marker from doors, OH and from the kitchen floor (yeah, found those drawings later)? If so, please give me your helpful hints.  'Cause this bad Mama does NOT want to have to paint the door.  I HATE painting doors.

Add to this "disaster" a non stop crying train from Brooklyn over everything today, and Maggie getting pushed by Brooklyn during their "play" on the couch (whilst I was getting ready) and severely bruising her nose.  Like, visible bruise on her nose.  And constant fighting over EVERYTHING, and Max throwing ANYTHING he could get his hands on behind the couch, around the house, etc.  It's just not been my favorite day.

So, I took them to play with my parents puppies, as IF they deserved this. Pshaw!


Brooklyn looking like an orphaned hippy child.


Maggie who INSISTS on holding a puppy, but ONLY if someone else will pick it up and place it in her arms.  MUST be in/on her arm.  She won't use both hands to hold it.  She's so random.


Then there's this fearless kid.  Pick them up, throw them down, squeeze them love them.
Even though he's the biggest, naughtiest booger there is....you just can't help but love that face.

He's permanently mine, and I'm ok with that.

Marker tracks and time outs,

Allyson

20 comments:

lori said...

At least your hair and makeup looks good. Priorities!!

Kristina P. said...

Not even the Magic Eraser worked?!?

Jen West said...

i always have good luck with a good quality micro-fiber cloth and water. really, it cleans about anything! good luck!

jen said...

Magic eraser worked when Hyrum did the same thing here, but with black sharpie on the white cabinetry. Good luck.

azandersens said...

Like the others have said, Magic Eraser.

Angie Dean said...

Chad gets all markers off our table with rubbing alcohol and some serious finger rubbing. See if it works for you. Good luck!

DianD said...

Here's hoping that next post says some "magic" erased his art work! And here's hoping that tomorrow is a much better day all the way around! :)

Tractor Mom said...

I've never tried this but...try spraying the "artwork" with hairspray and then use Magic Eraser. I've heard it works. Next tip...put ALL permanent markers on top of frig!!

Come by when you let Max out of time out...no wait...that maybe too long...Come by while he is IN time out....

alison said...

for the floor...i'm thinkin' a nice throw rug. for the door....ummmmm...tack up a throw rug?? ;) and max could draw on anything i own and then give me some crocodile tears to TOTALLY get out of trouble for it. heck...i'd probably give the kid extra colors so he could pretty it up even more..just to make him happy! you do NOT want to let him come visit the cooler "alison" that you know. he be rottened beyond repair!

and ya gots to look good, girl...who cares what you have to do to wrangle kiddos!! ;)

✩Molly✩ said...

Rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover. try both. if that fails, you could always paint over it :)

Natalie said...

So funny the things that we do to keep the kids out of stuff!

Did you try Magic Eraser? Those things really are magic & I've gotten a Sharpie off the wall that way...

Sandra said...

This is when you need to use reverse psychology: write all over his cute little face with the pen, and say, "It won't come off. Ever. Just like the door."
Ok. Now tell me who the greatest mother in the land is...go on, tell me!

The Coolest Allen Family said...

Just buy a frame and take out the backing and the glass and then nail it over the "picture". Then it will look like it was on purpose. :)

As for the floor....throw rug.

The Bipolar Diva said...

Oh that's a bad one. You might try alcohol. But it's my bet that you may have to seal it with Kilz and repaint.....from experience.

I love the pic of the chairs on the table!

Rocketgirl said...

Yeah, I got eraser off with Magic Eraser too, but it wasn't a sharpie. Eep!

And um, do you have any idea of how many hours of television my kids watch?? So far it's one and a half. By the end of the day, I'd say at least 4. And that's a good day. You are an AWESOME mom. You just gave birth to a boy, that's all :)

Jenny said...

We are in the process of moving so for all intents and purposes the house we are currently living in does not belong to us anymore so i was a little more than pissed when my 4 year old did the same thing with a sharpie on our white closet door (he did do a great job writing his name, good spacing, nice letter formation, etc... but i was still mad) the magic eraser took it off with no problem, but it also took off some of the paint, must have been my vigorous scrubbing... be warned and have white paint handy...

Christie said...

Ugh! So sorry about the new embellishments on your door. I, sadly, have had a few experiences with permanent markers. Doesn't matter how hard I try to hide them, eventually someone has to mark their soccer ball, or backpack, or gym clothes, and it comes out. And the 2-3 year old finds it. My "go-to" permanent marker cleaner is isopropyl alcohol. It may take the finish off, too, but it's better than the red/black/green color on the door/floor/dresser/fridge/wall/couch... (did I mention I have 5 boys? Is there anything in my house that has not been colored?)

Tara L. Stradling said...

Oh my sides, I seriously can NOT stop laughing at this one line: Wouldn't you know it....that little shit found the ONE red sharpie and created some pretty artwork on our door.

Seriously - I've got tears streaming down my face. I love you Momma Allyson!!!!!

Denise said...

Okay, might not work, but I have had luck before. Nail polish remover. It also gets it off bodies so try that. good luck.

Lene said...

What the WHAT? You have doors on your bathroom????