See: dervish, whirling

There are days I feel like crying "my kingdom for a cleaning person!" and today has been one of those days. With three kids, I know the house is never going to look like a Martha Stewart Living showpiece, but just to keep things at a non-disaster zone level, the morning looks something like this:

Girls have breakfast. While serving breakfast, I notice there are some errant macaroni pieces in the corner. I grab the broom and start sweeping while the baby babbles on her play mat. Girls finish cereal, put bowls in sink, at which point I realize the dishwasher is ready to be unloaded.

Unload the dishwasher, put dirty bowls in, realize sink has spots. Realize sink cloth is kind of gross. Go to put it in the laundry and grab another from the linen closet in the bathroom, at which point I realize the sink in the bathroom has toothpaste spots and evidence of Tim's shaving routine and squick. Grab another cloth and clean the sink, at which point I decide to do the rim of the tub and toilet seat, you know, while I'm in there.

Go to throw that in the laundry room, realize diapers need washing. Throw in a load of diapers, which means switching the darks to the dryer and folding the towels. Do so. Put towels away. Startle the cat, who is in the bathroom, who promptly runs into the family room and horks up a hairball just to spite me.

Clean the hairball, while on eye level with the litter box, realize that could use a scoop. Go to get a plastic bag from under the sink in the kitchen, at which point I realize...the kitchen sink still needs to be cleaned.

At this point it's only about 8 a.m. and we could run in circles like this all day. And while I'm doing all this, I am also dressing kids, doling snacks, settling wars over stuffed bears and dollies, cuddling the baby, you name it. I am hearing things like,

"Anna, we best friends!"

"We not friends."

"MOMMY!"

or

"Twinkle, twinkle, widdle STARRRRRRRRRRRR, howIwunnder whatchoo ARRRRE. Up above da world so hiiii - MOMMY THERE'S A DIAMOND UP THERE!"

Thank you, Anna.

The kids go to bed eventually (note I did not say sleep) and I spent 20 minutes hitting "reset" on the house so when Hurricane Toddler rolls through at dark thirty, I'll be somewhat ahead of the game.

And odds are, the kitchen sink never gets cleaned.

Mommy ADHD for the win.