How Could I Be Cranky?

Yesterday was a really long day.  Most Tuesdays and Thursdays are these days.  I've made a commitment to push my fitness to the next level and I've started doing a class at 5:45am on Tuesday/Thursday with my sister-in-law to make this goal a reality.  I've been a walker and a jogger.  I've used weights for training, I've done my share of cardio.  I have NEVER done anything like this class.  It would best be described as "strength cardio", I think.  Thursday morning activities included dragging a 300 lb tire (on sliders that made it only feel like maybe 200!) back and forth across the gym, smacking a tire with a sledge hammer and a variety of jumping, hopping, pulling, pushing and moving that made for an active 45 minutes. 

I usually leave thoroughly spent, and yesterday morning was no exception.  I'm also usually awake and ready to start the day earlier, as a result of my early morning cardio.  Even with the longer days, I've been feeling more energized (I'm a total clique, I know) and although that 2pm afternoon lull is an exhausting hour for me, generally the days aren't SO bad.  Yesterday started beautifully.  I worked out, everyone got ready for the day, and we went to a delightful farm to pick up the 1/2 bushel of peaches we reserved for canning. 

After that, the day started to go downhill.  SB lost SP's socks in Wally World and no one noticed until I started taking them out of the stroller LB pushed around and into the car.  Ok, no big deal, we have a million socks.  Let's get everyone in the car and home to eat the frozen pizza we just picked up. 

Lunch went well, the babies even started out their naps well....then things took a turn.  Apparently, SB was NOT sleeping.  She was a very sneaky, covert operative in her bedroom (that she shares with LB).  She took apart LB's diary and generally rearranged the entire bedroom.  Fun times. 

The next few hours were not pleasant, nor were they my finest moments.  I ended up apologizing to a few people for my shortness at bedtime.  As we start today and I'm picking apart how yesterday could have gone so poorly with such a great start, I'm thinking about what I could do differently.  WHY was I so cranky?  They were all being normal, crazy babies and LB was super helpful and finished the dishes AND her schoolwork.  Yet, at 6pm when my husband got home, one look at me had him scooping up babies and running for cover while I finished making dinner. 

While I ponder over what is stuck in my craw, I'm wondering what your best tips are for snapping out of the cranky-funk.  Yesterday, I probably would have snarled at anyone that suggested something, but today, I'm open to any suggestions to help me.  Side-note (that in no way excuses my crankiness):  SB is visiting her bio dad 3 days a week.  On these days, she doesn't nap and comes home totally strung out.  Thursday is the day we spend trying to get her back on schedule, then we have a little bit better day Friday and the rest of the weekend, then the process starts all over again Monday.  We're having about four awful days a week, so ANY suggestions for getting back on schedule, coping with a toddler who hits, throws, screams and no longer sees us as authority figures would also be welcome!

I'm sure part of the funk is that good ol' Anger Stage of grieving rearing its ugly head....because, for me, Anger is much more comfortable than Grief and this whole house change is really happening for SB.  If smashing a sledge hammer into a tire isn't enough to burn off the anger, I'm seriously going to need all your best tips and tricks, maybe even some things you use on your preschooler to help them snap out a funk, because that's totally what I acted like yesterday!

So, as I try to shake off yesterday's crab....here are some pictures of my baby on the move, SP that put me in a better mood :)

Her Fourth of July outfit

Proof we got her hairs (all three) to hold a hairbow

Not willing to sit still for a picture

Enough Mom!