The Witching Hour

Wikipedia: The witching hour is the time when supernatural creatures such as witches, demons and ghosts are thought to be at their most powerful, and black magic at its most effective. This hour is typically midnight.

Well, in my house, it is between the hours of 4 and 6 pm! This is typically when hubby gets home from work, dinner is on the stove, D finishes her homework, and my mom calls to check on how the day is going. On top of that, Magoo is feeling extremely tired since "outgrowing" her naps. The typical scenario plays out as such.....D comes out of her room from completing her homework, Magoo notices and immediately asks her if she wants to play, occasionally the answer will be, "sure" but more often than not it is, "not right now". Magoo's feelings then get hurt because she has been waiting as patiently as humanly possible for a 3 year old for her to exit the closed bedroom door. Goo then has a meltdown and starts to cry and continually asks, "but please!" as her voice progressively gets higher and louder with each plea. I feel badly but cannot force D to play princess or tea party or another game of Dora Candyland. While this is happening, the phone will ring and I will try to have a nice conversation with my mom while stirring whatever happens to be cooking on the stove. At this precise moment, Little Man will decide to do one of 3 things: either fall and bump himself on something (resulting in his crying), try to touch whatever it is that Magoo is holding in her hand while crying over her big sister's neglect (which will result in angry cries of NO NO NO NO NO) , or get a nice handful of Goo's hair wrapped in his cute little fist (which will result in an even more blood curdling scream from Magoo). As I quickly hang up the phone with my mom (who I am quite sure believes my house is usually in disarray), my hubby will walk in from work, (whom I am also quite certain believes that I let the household run wild all day long).

There will be slight variations to this scenario however the result is predictably the same....witches and demons at their most powerful! AND then the calm after the storm - dinner is done. The family then sits as a unit at the dining room table and eats together in an orderly and civilized fashion. Actual conversation takes place and the tears are gone. I breathe a sigh of relief for I have again survived the witching hour ( all be it a close call). The rest is cake. My angels are back and ready for dessert, bath, snuggling, book and then the comfort of bed. "Only good dreams mama, only good dreams", Goo proclaims as she starts to knod off to sleep.