Grounded

This might come as a shock to some of you, but I was frequently grounded throughout my middle school and even into my high school years.  See, I have this problem and I don't take credit for it because my lovely mother whom I adore is the same way. 

I wear my heart on my sleeve.  And when I am at my most agitated and really worked up (either in a good way or a bad way), I have a hard time controlling that heart on my sleeve and.....whoops.  Sometimes words just slip out of my mouth unintentionally.  Which is fine when you're super excited and sharing a joyful attitude with everyone around you but unfortunately, more often than not, that was not what my heart expressed during my teenage years.

What I'm trying to say is.....I was a mouthy teenager.  Not to my peers and most certainly not to my teachers.  I bottled up all my special attitude, eyerolls, glares and venomous words during the day and unleashed them at home with my parents. 

Thus the frequent grounding.  Very.  Very.  Very.  Frequent.

Gradually by the end of high school I wasn't so angry at my parents (for what?  I never could figure out the real source - I had and still have incredibly devoted and supportive parents) and I learned to control my emotions and therefore my mouth and I wasn't grounded....as much.  And obviously once I graduated high school, went to college and began living on my own the word "grounded" ceased to exist in my vocabulary except to mean "down to Earth" in regards to a persons character.

Well, except for last night.

I was grounded....as in no television, computer or phone.  Yes.  I am a 28 years old and more or less in control of my home and life.

Let me explain. 

It was obviously a rough week for me professionally at school and all I wanted to do last night was eat some good Mexican food, drink a margarita and play with my baby.  Bathtime was around 7:45 and apparently the exhaustion that I have been feeling building up in my body over the course of the week was showing on my face and in my body language as I wrestled Natalie into her pajamas. 

Craig looked at me and said "I'm making a rule.  No television for you tonight.  I am taking Natalie and I'll put her to bed - you are going to bed right now and do not turn on the television.  I'm not going to turn on the monitor and I'll sleep in the spare bedroom.  You need a good night sleep." 

I didn't even have the energy to argue.

So I handed off my baby girl and changed into a big, comfy t-shirt and shorts,crawled into bed and curled up with Angie and The Girl Who Played With Fire.  I can't remember the last time I was able to just sit in bed and read and feel completely (okay....MOSTLY) relaxed before bedtime.  Or anytime for that matter.  I was asleep by 10:00 and slept almost all the way through the night.  It was glorious - I woke up this morning at 7:30 ready to see my baby girl.  Craig took care of her through the night and I didn't even know if she had woken up at all (turns out only once at 2:00 for a bottle).

Thank you Craig.  I definitely needed to be grounded last night.  Now onto this glorious Saturday morning - we are preparing for her six month photos tomorrow morning and starting to decorate the house for Halloween and fall!