Decompression Days

Since returning from our little holiday, our DD has been the most disobedient, willfull, stubborn, and naughty child in recent memory. Yes, she was naughty on vacation, too, but the level didn't reach as high as it is now. Frankly it's more exhausting than all the unpacking and cleaning and laundry, and that's saying a lot.

I'm sure it's just the typical 2 and a half stage of temper tantrums and wanting things her way, all the time. The thing is, I am not willing to put up with it. DH was more willing to be accommodating on vacation, but even then there were times that I physically restrained her and took her back to the bedroom, and let her have her tantrum there while I ignored her. She pushed and pushed us, and I knew that limits had to be re-established. She cut out that little routine after three times of having enforced "time-outs" where she could have her tantrums in the bedroom and wasn't allowed back into the main part of the RV until she was calmed down, speaking with words instead of screaming, and behaving herself.

She had a tantrum this morning about having a pacifier. I am keen to re-establish the home routine of "pacifiers are for night-night and naptime only". DD wants to have one whenever she wants to have one, and she got to have one most of the time while we were away due to the road travel time. She got to do lots of things in the RV which we wouldn't allow at home. DH is thinking that gradually restoring the balance is the way to go, whereas I have to deal with her most of the week while he's working, and thus I want to re-establish the normal routine ASAP. I don't know which one of us is "right", probably both and neither. However, it is clear that we are going to have to pick our battles wisely with this little one as we re-adjust to home life.

I am having some moments myself. Confronting the few dirty dishes we had left and finding mold in some plastic glasses did not make my day (they had to be tossed after the dishwasher failed to remove it...ewwwww). Likewise having about a zillion loads of laundry to do, and rushing to get the RV back into immaculate condition, is a bit wearing. I spent time in a laundromat today, spending $7.25 to wash and dry the comforter from the bed in the RV, and doing ours too since I was going to the laundromat. That was fun--I brought no magazines, so I stood with DS in the baby carrier on my chest and just watched the comforters wash, and then dry. About as exciting as watching grass grow, and probably worse since my mind was zipping through all the things I had yet to do in order to make the RV A-OK to return to the neighbors. All while wondering if DH was having trouble with DD at home, since he was actually working from home today and I had forgotten my cell phone.

We have bags all over our den (again) and we also have IKEA furniture we purchased en-route home (since it's over an hour away and was on the way home, it made sense to stop for what we needed). Those boxes are under the coffee table and in our bedroom. DH has suggested we paint our bedroom this weekend, too, since we finally bought a bed for our bedroom (instead of using the rolling frame that has irreparably scarred the new hardwood floors). Hmmmm...I'll go for that if we get the rest of the crap stuff put away first.

*sigh* Remind me again how vacations leave you relaxed?