Well, Halloween is officially over, and I would like to know who I need to speak to about getting a refund on my sanity.
Because Y’ALL.
This week was something else.
We’ve had flying objects, screaming children, a shattered glass table, a baby standoff involving a pocketknife and a Sharpie, and a suspicious noise in the middle of the night that had me considering grabbing a sword.
Oh, and apparently everybody on the road is ugly.
Everybody except me, of course.
🤣
I also spent Halloween chasing three tiny humans around the neighborhood, collecting enough candy to supply a small village, and carrying an exhausted Nemo home like a sack of potatoes.
And somehow, between all the chaos, we managed to have some pretty wonderful moments.
So, grab your leftover Halloween candy, get comfortable, and let me tell you about the week that apparently decided I hadn’t suffered enough this spooky season.
☕ This Week’s Comfort
I’m not going to lie.
There wasn’t a whole lot of peace and quiet around here this week.
Sunday started with the boys fighting ALL DAY LONG.
Neither one wanted a nap.
Neither one wanted to cooperate.
And by the time the evening rolled around, I was already exhausted.
Thankfully, I had a Halloween photoshoot to look forward to, and it was SO much fun!
I love getting behind my camera, especially when I get to play around with something a little creepy.
Unfortunately, my peaceful evening didn’t last long after I got home.
We’ll get to that disaster in a minute.
By Monday, I was already running on fumes.
Work was absolutely ridiculous, and by the time I got home, I was so exhausted that I honestly couldn’t tell you what I did for the rest of the evening.
I know I went to bed early.
That’s about it.
Tuesday wasn’t much better.
Actually, that’s a lie.
Tuesday was significantly worse.
By the time I got off work, I was overstimulated, irritated, and ready to fight the entire population of Indianapolis.
But first, I needed shoes.
My work shoes were absolutely destroyed, and I had a $50 gift card to Finish Line.
I found a pair for $65, and after using my gift card, I paid less than $20!
WOO ME!
🤗
Now, here’s where things get a little ridiculous.
My boyfriend and I were in the car, and I was still in a TERRIBLE mood.
So, naturally, I decided everybody around me was ugly.
Everybody.
Except me.
I’d point at a random car.
“Ugly!”
Another car.
“See that car? Yeah, ugly!”
A woman with a baby?
“Ugly! Both of ’em!”
☠️🤣
Y’ALL.
I didn’t mean a single word of it.
I was just being ridiculous because I was overstimulated and irritated, and my boyfriend was sitting in the passenger seat laughing his ass off.
And the more he laughed, the more ridiculous I got.
Eventually, I started feeling better.
Sometimes you just need somebody who understands that you’re having a terrible day and lets you be a complete idiot until you’re laughing again.
Afterward, we stopped to get cupcakes for my student, who was turning nine the next day.
Yes, he’d been giving me absolute HELL all week.
But everybody deserves cupcakes on their birthday.
I don’t care how much of a little gremlin you’ve been.
🤣
By the time we got home, I realized something else.
I WAS STARVING.
Oh.
That explains a few things.
My boyfriend made dinner, and while I was eating, my sister called.
Well, technically, Doodoo called.
😂
I talked to the kids while I ate and decided I’d go spend some time with them afterward.
And honestly?
That was exactly what I needed.
We played, chased each other, and scared each other.
Then the boys decided to team up and beat my ass.
One was attacking me from the front while the other was climbing onto the couch and practically suplexing himself onto my head.
SIR.
I CAME OVER HERE TO LOVE YOU.
NOT JOIN THE WWE.
😭🤣
But we had so much fun.
When bedtime rolled around, I got Poohboy settled and asked who was next.
Both Sissy and Doodoo immediately volunteered.
“ME!”
Doodoo threw himself into my lap while Sissy ran circles around the living room.
Then we played a little game.
THE FLOOR IS LAVA!
FEET UP!
FEET UP!
My sister vacuumed while both kids sat on the couch with their feet held high in the air.
Sissy even helped get her bed ready in the living room, putting the sheet on and everything.
She stayed in bed, too.
Well, except for one little visit to try a Snapchat filter on me.
Naturally.
🤣
I stayed until everybody was settled, gave my hugs and kisses, and went home.
After the kind of day I’d had, spending the evening laughing with those babies was exactly what I needed.
Wednesday was another long day, and my sister’s babysitting situation fell apart.
Her sitter wasn’t feeling well that morning, and by lunchtime, she’d quit altogether.
Well.
That’s wonderful.
🥲
So we rearranged everything.
I picked up the boys after work, took a PTO day Thursday, and arranged to leave work at noon Friday so I could help with the kiddos.
Wednesday evening was pretty quiet, at least compared to the rest of the week.
Doodoo had gotten two shots at the doctor, and he was NOT in the mood to deal with Poohboy.
Every time Poohboy got near him, Doodoo cried.
So I spent the evening keeping them separated.
My boyfriend made dinner, and I went to bed early with a headache.
I fell asleep watching videos on my phone, and at some point, my boyfriend came to bed and put my phone away for me.
It’s a little thing, but I appreciated it.
And Friday?
Friday gave us one of those rare, beautiful bedtimes that make you want to celebrate.
Both boys were trying to go to sleep at SIX.
Absolutely not.
Stay awake for one more hour.
Mawmaw Nesi made herself a BLT, and naturally, both boys decided they wanted one, too.
So they had BLTs with her for dinner.
Later, Doodoo crawled into my lap while my boyfriend was making our dinner.
And just like that?
Out.
He was asleep by 7:45.
I looked over at Poohboy, who was crying at the kitchen gate, and asked if he was ready for bed.
He nodded.
Went straight to the bedroom.
AND WENT TO BED.
Y’ALL.
NO FIGHTING.
NO SCREAMING.
NO NEGOTIATIONS.
WE WILL TAKE IT!
🤣🖤
📸 Through My Lens
This was a particularly fun week for pictures.
Sunday’s Halloween photoshoot was such a good time, and I loved getting to play around with the creepy atmosphere.
There’s just something about Halloween photography that I absolutely adore.
The costumes, the little details, the opportunity to make ordinary places feel a little unsettling.
It’s right up my alley.
Then Friday rolled around, and I got to dress up for work!
I went as Ms. Frizzle from The Magic School Bus.
🤣
Every adult knew exactly who I was.
The kids?
Not a clue.
BUT THEY LOVED MY DINOSAUR DRESS!
And honestly, that’s good enough for me.
I left work at noon to pick up the kiddos, and the moment they saw my dress, they were OBSESSED.
They were even mad when I took it off after we got home.
Y’ALL.
CHILL.
I’LL WEAR IT AGAIN TOMORROW!
🤣
And I did.
Because Saturday was HALLOWEEN!
I had all three babies for trick-or-treating this year.
My mom wasn’t feeling well, so Sissy ended up joining me and the boys.
My boyfriend and Mawmaw Nesi came with us, too.
We had to wait for Poohboy to get home before we could get him changed and ready.
And obviously, I had to get pictures.
I mean, come on.
Did you really think I was going to take three babies trick-or-treating without getting pictures first?
Absolutely not.
We finally headed out a little before 6:30 and stayed out until around 8:30.
TWO HOURS.
THREE BABIES.
FOUR FULL BASKETS OF CANDY.
AND NINE FULL-SIZED CANDY BARS!
NINE!
ALL DIFFERENT!
FROM TWO HOUSES!
Y’ALL.
I DO NOT PLAY ABOUT TRICK-OR-TREATING!
🤣🤣🤣
And the babies had an absolute blast.
Especially Doodoo.
He was dressed as Nemo, and he decided pretty early on that he was DONE with the stroller.
He wanted to walk.
So he walked.
And walked.
AND WALKED.
That little trooper spent practically the entire evening running behind me, giggling and yelling:
“I GET YOU!”
And he’d flap his little arm the whole time.
HIS LITTLE NEMO FIN!
😭🖤
I swear, it was the cutest thing.
But eventually, all that walking caught up with him.
By the time we started heading home, Doodoo had officially run out of Halloween spirit.
He was throwing himself on the ground.
Kicking.
Crying.
He didn’t want the stroller.
He didn’t want to walk.
He wanted to be carried.
Then he got mad because he was being carried.
BRO.
WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?!
😭🤣
Eventually, I threw him over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes and carried my exhausted little Nemo home.
And you know what?
I’d do it all again.
The pictures are wonderful, but it’s those little moments that make me love having a camera around.
Doodoo flapping his fin.
The kids showing off their costumes.
Their excitement every time somebody handed them candy.
Those are the things I want to remember.
Even if one of those memories involves carrying a screaming fish down the street.
🤣🖤
💭 A Thought I’ve Been Carrying
Saturday night scared the absolute hell out of me.
And I don’t mean the costumes, the Halloween decorations, or the spooky things people had sitting in their yards.
I mean genuinely scared me.
After trick-or-treating, we got home with three exhausted children and enough candy to last until next Halloween.
Sissy wanted some immediately.
Ma’am.
You are NOT eating an entire basket of candy tonight.
You can have ONE piece.
AFTER dinner.
That’s it.
🤣
I got everybody out of their costumes, changed diapers, and started making dinner.
Nothing fancy.
Chicken nuggets and fries.
Quick and easy.
Doodoo was exhausted and having an absolute meltdown.
He was hungry, too.
While I was finishing the plates, he kept screaming:
“I BITE! I BITE!”
So I handed him a nugget.
Here.
Take a bite.
Calm down for half a minute so I can finish getting these fries on the plates.
And then everything changed.
His head went back.
His face started turning red.
And he made a sound I’d never heard him make before.
He was choking.
Not coughing because something went down wrong.
Actually choking.
I dropped everything.
I yelled his name, grabbed him, positioned him forward, and started giving him back blows.
I’m trained for emergencies like this, and I have never been more grateful for that training than I was in that moment.
I was hitting his back hard enough that my boyfriend thought something else was happening.
No, sir.
I’m over here trying to save this baby’s life.
After five back blows, Doodoo brought the nugget back up.
And he cried.
Y’all.
I have never been so happy to hear that child cry.
I was terrified.
One minute, I was irritated because everybody was tired, hungry, and screaming.
The next, I was holding a one-year-old who couldn’t breathe.
I cuddled him, comforted him, and tried to get both of us calmed down.
Then I still had to finish making dinner.
Because, of course, I did.
I had a screaming baby on my hip, two other hungry children waiting, and plates that still needed to be finished.
Doodoo eventually ate dinner sitting in my lap.
He was hesitant about eating more nuggets.
And honestly?
So was I.
I don’t blame him one bit.
Poohboy decided he was ready for bed and went to Uncle.
Sissy finished dinner, chose Sour Patch Kids as her one piece of Halloween candy, and called her mom.
She talked to my sister until she fell asleep.
And Doodoo?
He crawled into my lap in the recliner and said:
“I want monk monk.”
Monkey.
He wanted Curious George.
So I put it on.
He fell asleep before the theme song even finished.
And I sat there holding him.
I don’t think I can explain how relieved I felt.
I’ve dealt with plenty of stressful situations with kids.
I’ve had training.
I know what to do.
But knowing what to do doesn’t make it any less terrifying when it’s happening to a baby you love.
And afterward, when everything settles down, you realize just how quickly an ordinary moment can turn into something serious.
I’m not going to pretend I suddenly became some perfectly patient person who never gets irritated with these kids.
I absolutely still get irritated.
They were driving me insane again before the night was over.
🤣
But I was incredibly grateful that Doodoo was okay.
That he was breathing.
That he was able to eat his dinner, ask for his monkey, and fall asleep in my lap like nothing had happened.
Because for a few seconds that night, I was genuinely terrified of what might happen next.
And I don’t think I’ll forget that feeling anytime soon.
❤️ This Week’s Gratitude
Honestly?
I’m grateful for the people who helped me get through this week.
Because it was A LOT.
My boyfriend made dinner for us several nights when I was exhausted, irritated, or dealing with the kids.
He laughed with me when I was overstimulated and decided everybody on the road was ugly.
He helped with the babies, came trick-or-treating with us, and dealt with my middle-of-the-night panic when I thought somebody might be inside the house.
We’ll get to that in a minute.
Because OH MY GOD.
🤣
I’m grateful for Mawmaw Nesi, too.
She helped with the kids, came trick-or-treating, and was there for the everyday little things that make having three babies around a little easier.
And I’m grateful that I was able to help my sister when her babysitting situation changed.
Was it convenient?
Absolutely not.
Did it mean rearranging my work schedule and spending even more time being climbed on, screamed at, and occasionally used as a wrestling mat?
Yes.
Yes, it did.
But I got to spend more time with the kids.
And there were some really sweet moments this week.
Thursday morning, all three of them were actually getting along.
Sissy was sharing her candy.
They were playing together.
Giving each other hugs.
I almost didn’t know what to do with myself.
WHO ARE THESE CHILDREN?!
AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH THE ONES WHO LIVE HERE?!
🤣
Of course, that peace didn’t last.
But it was nice while we had it.
Friday, Doodoo was still a little cranky, so I turned his crying into a game.
I’d start fake crying.
And crying.
AND CRYING.
Until he decided the only way to shut BlahBlah up was to put his binky in my mouth.
🤣🤣🤣
He’d get so serious about it, too.
Like, ma’am, PLEASE.
TAKE THE BINKY.
I CANNOT LISTEN TO YOU ANYMORE.
And then we’d both be laughing.
Those are the moments I love.
The little games.
The random hugs.
The way they want to sit in my lap even when there’s an entire couch available.
The way Doodoo will wake up in the middle of the night, say “BlahBlah,” hand me his binky, and go right back to sleep.
I don’t know what I was supposed to do with it.
Apparently, I was just being entrusted with a very important possession.
🤣
I’m grateful for those moments.
I’m grateful for the Halloween memories we made.
And more than anything, I’m grateful that all three babies ended the night safe, loved, and tucked into bed.
Even if nobody in that house was particularly interested in letting me sleep.
🖤
😂 This Week’s “Well…That Happened.”
Y’ALL.
I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO START.
Actually, yes, I do.
Let’s start with Sunday.
I had just gotten home from the Halloween photoshoot and was on FaceTime with my sister.
Both boys had been acting up all day, and apparently they weren’t finished.
She’d gotten Poohboy down for bed and was getting Sissy ready.
Then suddenly—
CRASH.
GLASS.
A LOT OF GLASS.
I hadn’t even changed out of my clothes yet.
I immediately left my house and went over there.
My sister had one of those glass side tables with a lamp attached to it.
Well, Doodoo had apparently been trying to turn the lamp off.
And instead?
HE PULLED THE WHOLE THING OVER.
SHATTERED THE TABLE.
GLASS EVERYWHERE.
INCLUDING ALL OVER THEIR TOYS.
😭☠️
Thankfully, nobody was hurt.
But Doodoo and Sissy were both crying when I got there.
So I cuddled up on the couch with them and put Frozen on while my sister cleaned everything up.
Some toys had to be thrown away because tiny pieces of glass were stuck in them.
Others had to be set aside to inspect later.
By the time she carried the broken table and bags of glass outside, Doodoo had fallen asleep.
So she saved one final vacuuming pass for the next morning rather than waking him.
I finally got home, exhausted, and almost skipped dinner.
But I made myself a baked potato.
Because apparently a baked potato can fix just about anything around here.
At least temporarily.
🤣
Then Monday happened.
Now, listen.
I’ve worked with autistic children long enough to have my own opinions about the full moon.
And I swear, whenever the moon starts acting suspicious, the classroom gets WILD.
Monday was no exception.
My student tried to BITE me.
HE DOESN’T EVEN BITE!
WHAT?!
I thought Monday was bad.
Then Tuesday showed up and said:
“HOLD MY BEER.”
Because apparently my student has learned how to use his words as weapons.
And I mean that quite literally.
He has a speaking device.
I call it his voice.
Well, he got upset because I wouldn’t let him disrupt another student’s activity.
So he tossed his device toward me.
Nope.
Time to sit down.
He started getting more upset, and I figured we’d better take a bathroom break before things got any worse.
I went to unlock the bathroom door and noticed he wasn’t behind me.
So I peeked back into the classroom.
He was bending down to pick up his device.
Oh!
Look at you!
Picking up after yourself!
That’s something we’ve been working on.
HOW WONDERFUL!
Except—
NOPE.
HE STOOD UP.
LOOKED ME DEAD IN THE FACE.
AND THREW HIS WORDS AT MY HEAD.
SIR!
EXCUSE THE FUCK OUT OF ME?!
😭☠️
Thank goodness I was standing in the hallway because that thing would’ve hit me right between the eyes.
I managed to dodge it and got some help.
But the story doesn’t end there.
Oh, no.
While all this was happening, somebody else had made it into the restroom.
So now we had to wait.
And while we were waiting?
HE TRIED TO BITE ME.
AGAIN.
BRO.
WHAT IS HAPPENING?!
IT’S ONLY TUESDAY!
😭😭😭
Eventually, we had to focus on calming down and getting through the rest of the day.
And yes, there were plenty of other behaviors.
But those were the highlights.
I did a little research afterward because I needed to know what was happening in the universe.
And apparently, according to what I was looking at, there were FIVE planets in microwave.
FIVE.
NOT ONE.
NOT TWO.
FIVE.
I don’t even know what that means.
But somebody needs to get these planets out of the microwave because I CANNOT.
☠️🤣
Then Thursday came along.
Remember how I said all three kids were getting along?
Sharing candy?
Giving hugs?
Being sweet little angels?
Yeah.
That lasted until lunchtime.
I was making myself a hot ham and cheese sandwich when I noticed the boys had gotten suspiciously quiet.
And then I saw them.
Doodoo had found a CLOSED pocketknife that we thought was put away.
Poohboy had a Sharpie.
And somehow, these two tiny humans had arranged themselves into a full-blown standoff in my living room.
Doodoo had Poohboy backed into the corner, pointing the closed knife at him.
Poohboy was LAUGHING and pointing the Sharpie right back.
Y’ALL.
WHAT KIND OF WESTERN MOVIE DID I JUST WALK INTO?!
😭☠️
Obviously, I took the knife immediately.
Doodoo was NOT happy about losing his newly discovered “toy.”
So what did he do?
He pushed Mawmaw Nesi’s plant off the living room table.
OF COURSE HE DID.
Meanwhile, my sandwich was burning.
MY DAMN SANDWICH.
I still ate it.
I wasn’t about to waste perfectly good food just because two babies decided to reenact a showdown at high noon.
🤣
After lunch, both boys were screaming and rubbing their eyes.
Exhausted.
Clearly exhausted.
Would they take another nap?
Absolutely not.
Fine.
I guess we’re ALL going to be cranky.
By the time my sister got off work, I told her to take a shower and relax for a little while before I brought the kids home.
And when she was ready?
I CLOCKED OUT.
Your turn, ma’am.
I LOVE YOU.
GOOD LUCK.
🤣
Friday was a little less dramatic.
The kids spent a good portion of the day running around the house yelling for Mawmaw.
And somehow, we survived.
Which brings us to Saturday.
HALLOWEEN!
And the aftermath of our very successful candy expedition.
After the choking scare, everybody finally got settled.
My boyfriend and I even managed to eat dinner in peace.
Watching Curious George.
Because apparently that’s what we’re watching now.
🤣
Eventually, I went to move Sissy to bed.
I picked her up, and she lifted her head.
“I want Kase.”
You want Kase?
“No.”
Okay.
What do you want?
She looked me right in the eyes.
“I want. I want. I want…”
Yes, baby?
You want what?
“I want the cat.”
And then she closed her eyes and laid her head back down.
OH.
OKAY.
GLAD WE CLEARED THAT UP.
🤣🤣🤣
I absolutely love when that child sleep talks.
But the night wasn’t over.
Not even close.
Doodoo was tossing and turning all night.
Sitting up.
Moving around.
Occasionally handing me his binky for reasons known only to him.
Then, at some point, I heard a loud THUD from somewhere outside the bedroom.
I immediately thought:
What the fuck?
Then I remembered Mawmaw Nesi wasn’t home.
WHAT THE FUCK?!
I moved Doodoo between me and my boyfriend and sat up.
I listened.
No footsteps.
No more thuds.
Nothing.
And naturally, my brain immediately started developing a plan.
Should I grab the sword behind the closet door?
Should I go investigate?
Should I move all three babies into the bed?
What if somebody’s in the house?
What if—
WAIT.
MY BOYFRIEND IS LITERALLY ASLEEP BESIDE ME.
DUH.
WHY AM I PLANNING A SOLO MISSION?!
😭🤣
So I woke him up.
Told him what I’d heard.
And he went to investigate.
He checked the house.
The front yard.
The backyard.
EVERYTHING.
And he was gone for what felt like FOREVER.
Y’all.
We don’t even have a big house.
WHERE IS THIS MAN?!
I’m sitting on the edge of the bed, listening, debating whether I need to grab that sword after all.
Then I hear him go into the bathroom.
Thank goodness.
He comes back into the bedroom.
And tells me what happened.
Y’all.
I FEEL SO DAMN STUPID.
IT WAS THE BABY SHAMPOO.
THE BABY SHAMPOO FELL INTO THE BATHTUB.
☠️☠️☠️
I WAS PREPARING TO DEFEND MY ENTIRE HOUSEHOLD AGAINST A BOTTLE OF BABY SHAMPOO.
😭🤣
In my defense, I had all three babies in the house.
If it had just been me, I probably would’ve gone to investigate myself without thinking much about it.
But with the kids there?
Absolutely not.
I wasn’t taking chances.
Still.
BABY SHAMPOO.
I’m never living that one down.
And would you believe me if I told you the night STILL wasn’t over?
Because at 4:25 in the morning, Sissy woke up.
She wanted to come cuddle.
No, ma’am.
It’s bedtime.
Go back to sleep.
Before anybody thinks I’m being mean, her doctor has given us specific instructions about how to handle her nighttime waking because she struggles with sleep.
So we were sticking to the routine.
Unfortunately, Sissy did NOT appreciate that.
She wanted her phone.
And she was prepared to protest.
FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF.
GIRL.
PLEASE.
GO.
TO.
SLEEP.
😭
I’d already been up practically every hour.
And because the clocks went back, I got to experience 2 AM TWICE.
TWICE!
AS IF ONE 2 AM WASN’T ENOUGH!
☠️
At one point, I got up to use the bathroom.
And naturally, Doodoo woke up.
Because apparently I am not allowed to pee without an audience.
He HAD to come with me.
While I was up, I realized the lullabies had stopped playing on the television, so I put them back on.
Eventually, Sissy settled down.
And at 5:47 AM, I FINALLY got to go back to sleep.
Y’ALL.
I SURVIVED HALLOWEEN.
BARELY.
🤣🖤
I think that’s a pretty good place to leave this week.
Not because it was peaceful.
It absolutely was not.
Not because everything went according to plan.
Clearly, we abandoned that idea somewhere around the shattered glass table.
But because somewhere between the tantrums, the exhaustion, the flying objects, and the four baskets of Halloween candy, we made some really good memories.
I got to spend time behind my camera.
I got to dress up as Ms. Frizzle.
I got to watch three babies enjoy Halloween, including one very determined little Nemo who walked until his legs apparently decided they were finished participating.
I got to laugh with my boyfriend after a terrible day.
I got to spend extra time with the kids and help my sister when she needed it.
And even after a genuinely frightening moment Saturday night, I got to tuck three babies into bed knowing they were safe.
I’m exhausted.
My sleep schedule is a disaster.
I’m pretty sure I’ve heard somebody yell “BLAHBLAH!” in my dreams.
And I’m going to need approximately seventeen business days to recover from Halloween.
But I wouldn’t trade those little memories for anything.
Well.
Maybe I’d trade the baby shampoo incident for a full night’s sleep.
Just that one.
🤣
I think that’s something I’m learning to appreciate more and more.
Life doesn’t have to be peaceful to be good.
Sometimes it’s loud, messy, exhausting, and completely ridiculous.
Sometimes you spend your evening laughing until your stomach hurts.
Sometimes you spend it wondering how you’re going to get everybody fed, bathed, and into bed without losing your mind.
And sometimes you spend the middle of the night preparing to fight an intruder who turns out to be a bottle of shampoo.
Apparently, all of those things can happen in the same week.
So here’s to another Halloween in the books.
To the costumes, the candy, the laughter, and the tiny humans who made it memorable.
And here’s to hoping November brings a little more peace.
Although, knowing my life?
I wouldn’t bet on it.
Until next time,
—Destiny
P.S. How was your Halloween? Did you dress up, take the kiddos trick-or-treating, stay home handing out candy, or spend the evening watching scary movies? And more importantly, what’s the most ridiculous thing that happened to you this week? Because I could really use some reassurance that I’m not the only person living in a sitcom. 😂🖤
