Irritable...

I'm so tired and irritable lately. It's really no fun for anyone! Just for the sake of venting, here are a few things that are particularly driving me nuts!
~The kids asking questions NON STOP!! Seriously! I remember when my little sister was about 3 or 4 and she would want to talk to you, but she wouldn't know what to say, so she'd just ask you "How old are you?" about every minute. Well, I think my kids are in that same stage of just wanting to talk to me, so they're CONSTANTLY asking me questions, but it's things they know the answers to. For instance, yesterday I responded to one of their many questions (and of course every answer I give leads to another question) like this 'No, Grant's going to stay here with dad while we run to the store' (because both Landon and Addie wanted to go to Kroger to use their little shopping carts) and then Addie said to me 'What does 'stay' mean?' Honestly? These are the kind of questions I'm asked ALL DAY! I just looked at her and said 'Okay, listen, it really DRIVES ME NUTS when you guys ask me questions you already know the answers to. So if you know what a word means, please don't ask me to define it for you' (and probably the next thing out of her mouth was something like 'What does define mean?' but I can't say for sure, because I was just worn out from listening to them). Anyway, I feel like a terrible mom because I know you're supposed to encourage you kids to ask questions, but at this point in my life (and pregnancy) I don't really feel like listening to people talking just for the sake of talking, especially when it requires me to answer.
~I'm sick of having kids in my bed. Addie still gets in our bed almost EVERY night! Finally last night I made a rule. NO MORE! If they come up, they're on the floor!
~My kids have been 'fighting' over everything lately. What color bowl they have, which spoon they get, which seat they sit in in the car, who gets to say the prayer, who gets to pick which book, who gets to pick the movie at quite time, who gets to get Grant out of his crib after his nap, and the list goes ON and ON! It's not like they're really 'fighting', no screaming or tears, but still, I finally threatened to throw away every colored spoon and bowl and plate in our house and make them use regular bowls, and I threatened to take out the middle seat in the van (the extra one next to Grant) because that's the seat they're always fighting over. We used to have a rule that they both had to ride in the back seat, to avoid the arguing, but since school started we carpool and pick up another little boy every other week (and his mom drives the other weeks, it's WONDERFUL) so that usually puts someone in the middle by Grant.
~Grant has decided not to sleep too great. I'm not sure why, but he is getting two of his Two-Year molars. I'd like to blame it on that, but I'm not sure that's really the problem. I think the problem is that Steven has kind of spoiled him by cuddling with him instead of laying him down and getting him if he even so much as whimpers. Now he knows that if he cries, dad will come to the rescue, so we've had to have a talk about that, and have since ended the Daddy Rescues.
~I'm SO TIRED! This is driving me crazy! Seriously, my body is SO achy and tired that by the end of the day I just want to cry (and on a few occasions, I do just break down and cry). I'm trying to be better at taking my prenatal vitamins, so we'll see if that helps at all, but I'm not too hopeful. I'm just worried what I'll be like in 6-8 weeks when I'm ready to have this baby.
~It's also driving me crazy that I'm not sleeping well. Even though I'm really exhausted. Another wonderful side effect of pregnancy though. (that and my feet and hips constantly hurting. Maybe I'm getting to old for this, I am almost 30 after all ;) )
~It's really making me nuts that I can't seem to keep this house even straight, let alone clean! I really think 'Why even try!' when it seems like as soon as I tackle something it's undone faster than I can move onto the next thing.
~I'm sick of Grant screaming! He's realizing that if he wants something, or doesn't want someone to do something, or wants to be noticed he can just scream. It's driving me insane!

Now, there's more that's been driving me crazy, but I'll try to be more positive and list the things I'm thankful for lately. I wouldn't want to look back on this in a couple years and think what an ungrateful whine-y person I am.
~I'm so grateful for Steven. He's so patient and helpful and doesn't even seem to notice my irrational moodiness. I mentioned that I wanted the hutch in the kitchen cleaned off, and he had it cleaned off in about 5 minutes. He is willing to help whenever he can. I'd be lost without him!!
~I'm grateful Addie remembered the 'No kids in the bed anymore' rule and when she came up last night she went woke me up and got on the floor without even trying to get in the bed. A few hours later, she woke me up again to ask me to hold her hand, which I did until that arm fell asleep, so I switched arms, until that one fell asleep. But at least she was on the floor!!
~I'm so thankful that my kids are getting better at helping with chores and stuff (not quite enough to out weigh the messes they make, but still...). They're great at unloading the dishwasher every day, cleaning up their room, cleaning up the living room. They're able to do a lot more with a lot less supervision, which makes my job easier!
~The weather has cooled off, and that has been SO nice!! Even when it has warmed up a bit, there's no humidity, which is a lot more bearable!
~Steven's new job. He had to work half a day today, because it's the busy season, but he didn't seem to mind too much. I'm thankful that he's able to have a job that makes it more worth the time it takes.
~I'm thankful we got our packet of info on our new medical benefits today, because I've been worried about getting all this settled. And EXTREMELY grateful that the new benefits will be cheaper than what we were paying before AND have better coverage! That will be nice in 8 weeks when we have hospital bills out the wazoo from having this baby.
~I'm thankful for soda pop. I'm not sure why, but lately, I have to remind myself to eat, because all I want to do is drink carbonated soda.
~I'm really thankful that Kroger had soda on sale this week!!
~Oh yeah, and I'm thankful that I found my camera (in Steven's night stand (?) How it got there, we're not sure. My bet in on Grant, who likes to climb in there and hang out for some reason). So I got to take a picture of my finished table runner. I'm not thrilled with the stars. I kind of wish I would have picked a different pattern, but oh well. I'm glad I was able to learn to paper piece and have this fun table runner to put out to celebrate birthdays in our family.
(yes, that red half circle in the bottom of this picture is my huge belly, and no matter how hard I tried, when I held the camera high enough to get the whole runner my belly insisted on being in the picture too.)