the good, the bad and the cup

There are days and then there are those days.

Have you ever had one of those days? I'm sure you have. We all have.

I am putting off my very overdue update from all the goings on around Christmas to post tonight about my week this week. Because, it just so happens I've had one of those weeks. The kind of week that the not-so-good things outweigh the good things.

Thankfully the things that have made my week so rough aren't too bad. Not earth shattering. Just little things that add up. Things like... bad attitudes, no naps, a cake not baking correctly, ruining dinner, hit the snooze too many times, stumped my toe, ran out of milk, forgot to order checks, cutting teeth, my mouth being sore, B forgetting to pick T up from school. Things like that.

And then there is... the cup.

First of all, let me just say I have a pet peeve that has to do with cups. I don't like the boys having more than one cup during the course of one day. One cup, per person. If you decide you want something else to drink, we will wash out your cup and go from there. For the little people at least (I don't make B use a coffee cup all day whenever he wants something else besides coffee to drink). Strange as it may seem, it's just a thing of mine. One cup, per day.

Late Wednesday morning when I went to give the boys a refill of milk in their cups, I couldn't find Peyton's cup. After looking for it and not finding I asked him where it was and he says, "I don't know." I searched high and low, all the while Peyton is saying "Mommy, I want some more milk." (insert pet peeve here) I did NOT want to get another cup out when I knew somewhere in the house there was a perfectly good cup waiting to be found and used. But, I did have a two year old asking for milk, so I gave in. Against my better judgment I got out a different cup.

The rest of the day I am intent on finding this cup. I am a woman on mission. It is here, in the house, somewhere and I am going to find it. Not to mention it has milk in it... and I am the "dishwasher" so, I must find the cup before it starts doing that gross separating thing milk does when it goes bad. Yuck. Am I right?

Must find the cup.

Wednesday evening gets here... still no cup.

Thursday morning rolls around and I am packing for a weekend away visiting family. I am washing clothes, packing the suitcase, checking things off of my mental check list of things to do before we leave. All the while there is one thing in looming in the back of my mind. Where is that cup?!?

With the thought of being gone for the next few days I am really getting concerned about this cup sitting and souring. We are going to be gone for 3 days. And oh my word, I need to find it.

I searched under the beds.
in the closets.
in the laundry hampers.
under the tv cabinet.
under the couches.
in the couches.
behind all the curtains.
in the window seals.
in the toy box, twice.
in the bathtub.
in the van. (even though I know we didn't go anywhere that day)
in the cabinet where I keep the boys cups. (Could I have cleaned it and put it away and not realized it? No, thank goodness. I was relieved not to be that crazy.)
in my writing desk.
on dressers.
on shelves.
under the table.
in the chairs.
in backpacks.
in purses.
in the diaper bag.
on the bookshelf.
outside on the front porch.
under the sinks.
in the pantry.
in drawers.
under the recliner.
under blankets.
behind the toilet.

I kid you not, I looked everywhere in the house and I didn't find the cup.

Oh, did I mention this is one of the new cups that we got the boys for Christmas? The ones they opened in their stockings? Oh, yes, the cup is one of the new cups. Even more frustrating lovely.

The replacement cup I gave Peyton, was the 4th new cup I bought for Christmas. Since we have 3 children and I bought 4 cups, one cup has been safely tucked away in the cabinet. Never even been seen by the little people. They have been completely unaware of it's existence... until now. Peyton was overjoyed to have a new new cup. I tried explaining where it came from but it kept getting lost in translation. He was a bit confused, but excited nonetheless.

When Brandon got home Thursday after picking Tristan up from school, Peyton greeted them both showing them his new new cup.  When Brandon realizes it's the 4th cup he looks at me and says, "Still no cup, huh?" I followed his question with a huge sigh and shook my head in shame.

He then turns to the very excited Peyton and says, "Do you know why you have this cup?"

P, "No..."

B, "Because we can't find your other cup. Remember? The one mommy has been looking for?"

P disappears for a few seconds... and then returns holding the cup. 

B says, "Honey..." and starts laughing.

I am in complete shock, mouth dropped wide open. There it is. The cup. I am speechless.

B, "Peyton, where was it?"

P, "In the box."

Me, "What box?!?"

P, "This one..."

 
See, what I mean? It's definitely been one of those weeks.