Orange Rhino Update- OMG I'VE STOPPED YELLING!!! (oops!) ;)

Ok, so I have a ways to go still... but I have made significant progress in my attempt at the Orange Rhino Challenge

I am FINALLY at the 2 week mark of NO YELLING! Ok, do I need to work on not yelling at my husband??? Yes. That's next ;) 

But after spending way too much time feeling like a failure , I am happy to report that I have not only mastered catching myself before I raise voice towards my kids... but I also have taken more significant steps at figuring out my triggers, and essentially making sure those triggers don't exist! 

For example: 

* getting out the house in the morning :  I now make NO plans first thing in the am. This will of course NOT work once Baby A starts school, but everyone will be older then, so I suspect it will go easier at that time. 

Now, we have Spiderman who has school in the afternoon... daddy takes Sissy to school... and Babies A and B and myself make NO early plans when we can avoid it. This alleviates the morning hustle and mommy freak outs ;) 

Now this theory obviously isn't going to work for everyone, especially our working mamas... but when we DO have something to do in the morning, I make sure I prepare everything I will need ahead of time. Lunches, diaper bags, laundry, clothes out; all that is done the night before. 

* boredom: kids get bored and whiny + infant = mommy loses her $h*t ;) 

Here in Maine the weather is finally getting nicer and we are finally escaping hibernation- thank God! Now, I make more of an effort to eliminate boredom. After breakfast, baby B goes in for a nap around 9:30 or 10am- so then the rest of us do yoga (on demand or a DVD at home) or color until we go outside around 11:30am.  

I just need to keep my mind on finding ways to remain relaxed during a normal day.

While well meaning friends and family always tell me, "take some time for yourself!" "go for a walk" or just "take a nice bubble bath"... 

* my fellow NNM mamas know that a SAHM with a husband that works sometimes 7 days a week- there is no "time for yourself". 

* If I go for a walk, it's with all the kids- and honestly- it's usually NOT fun at all. The two older kids are bickering, Baby A is complaining that she's in a stroller and not walking, and Baby B gets bored after about 5 minutes whether she's being worn or in a stroller. 

NOT relaxing. Usually results in yelling ;) 

* and I can't even PEE by myself, how am I going to take a bath>??!!!! 

Regardless, getting outside means a more relaxed and less-likely-to-yell mama. 

How are YOU doing with your Orange Rhino Challenge? Have you JOINED the challenge yet? JOIN ME!