Laura Kajpust
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delusioninabox.bsky.social
Laura Kajpust
@delusioninabox.bsky.social
80 followers 58 following 89 posts
Software Engineer || Artist || Writer
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delusioninabox.bsky.social
Pretty proud of the Rubble I drew on my kid's lunch bag this morning tbh
Drawing of Rubble from PAW Patrol on a brown lunch bag saying, "Let's bow-wow build!"
February 20, 2025 at 12:20 AM
delusioninabox.bsky.social
I just got to this hotel and it's literally trying to roast me. I know I hate the cold, but this is too much, even for me. 🥵
Thermostat set to 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
January 27, 2025 at 11:31 PM
delusioninabox.bsky.social
Flying with a friend. 🦈
Backpack open revealing a plush of a whale shark who looks adorable and happy to be here.
January 27, 2025 at 7:00 PM
delusioninabox.bsky.social
Comic 2,542! She's a very wholesome gamer. ;o;
My 4-year-old sits on the couch with me while I'm playing a game and asks, "Mommy, can I try?" I reply, "Yeah, of course!" I watch her play and miss a lot of jumps. She starts to apologize a lot: "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." I say, "You don't have to apologize. It's normal to make mistakes." She responds, "Nooo! I'm saying sorry to YOSHI!" On the TV, Yoshi is on fire and burning to a crisp in a pit of lava as she adds, "Sorry Yoshi!!!"
June 24, 2024 at 12:17 AM
delusioninabox.bsky.social
Comic 2,541!

Me, before: "I don't mind if the animals eat one as a treat."

Me, now: "BETRAYAL!!! YOU'VE ABUSED MY TRUST!!!"
Drawing of a close-up of a strawberry plant with a single bite taken out of it. The next drawing shows me looking a little miffed as I say, "My strawberries were only worth a single bite, huh? Might as well have finished it...." In the next panel, all the strawberries are gone! In the next, a flower is dug out of the ground and upside down! I scream and ruffle through my hair in distress. I yell while I look at the garden carnage, "I didn't mean you could eat ALL of them!!! You even dug up my flowers?!"
June 11, 2024 at 12:43 AM
delusioninabox.bsky.social
Comic 2,540! I committed and couldn't back out now!
My 4YO comes up to me and says, "Mommy, can we play one more level before bed?" I shrug and answer, "Yeah, sure. How long could it take?" The next drawing shows my husband looking at us on the couch. He sys, "Why is she still up? Bedtime was an hour ago!" I grimace while our daughter cheerfully says, "It's the final boss, Daddy!" I nervously try to explain with, "I didn't realize it was the final level!!", "Or that it would take so long!", "If I stop now, we'll have to do it all over!" and finally, "I DON'T WANT TO DO IT AGAIN."
June 7, 2024 at 1:22 AM
delusioninabox.bsky.social
Comic 2,539! Like mother, like daughter.
Drawing of me cutting vegetables at the counter and asking my daughter, who is four, "Can you put the plates on the table for me, please?" She says, "Uh-huh!! I can help!" I begin to look confused, saying, "Huh? Uh... Where are you taking them?" She looks up also confused from the living room, holding the plates, and says, "Huh?" I reply, "The plates. You walked right past the table." She laughs and says, "Oh yeah! I don't know!" While I think to myself, "Oh no. She's already just like me!"
June 6, 2024 at 1:56 AM
delusioninabox.bsky.social
Comic 2,538! An offer I couldn't refuse. 🙈
Drawing of me in bed with a grumpy face as a certain voice yells, "Mommy! Momma! Momma! Mommy!" Once out of bed, I wearily ask my child, "Okay... WHY are we awake so early?" She asks cheerfully, "Can we play Kirby before school?!" I make a serious face and after grumbling some mental calculations....we do. We sit on the couch together in front of the TV. Next to me, she yells, "A bad guy! Get' em, Mommy, get 'em!!!" I reply, "I'm working on it!!! I need that treasure first, though."
June 4, 2024 at 1:26 AM
delusioninabox.bsky.social
Comic 2,537! Praising someone else for behavior we want to see is also incredibly effective. 🤣
Drawing of our four year old wandering away from the table with her spoon during dinner. I sigh, and then say to my husband, "I LOVE how you're sitting so well at the table to eat, Daddy..." He replies, "Ohh, why, thank you." Our daughter stops what she's doing and RUNS back to her chair, yelling, "Wait! Waaaaait!" Once in her seat, she exclaims, "What about ME, Mommy?!?!" I say, "WOW, thank you so much for eating at the table AND sitting in your seat!" She yells happily, "YOU'RE WELCOME!!"
May 31, 2024 at 2:23 AM
delusioninabox.bsky.social
Comic 2,536! Our daughter is entering her Animal Fact Era™️ and I love that for her.
Drawing of my 4-year-old looking starry eyed as she says, "Oppossum moms carry their babies on their back like a BUS! I LOVE them!! They are my favorite!" Then while excitedly looking at a flower, she says, "A flower! Hummingbirds love red ones most. Did you know that?" Sneaking over the back of furniture, she then says, "Hey...do you wanna know about WEASELS? They're REAL animals, you know..." Finally, outside, she spots a bee. She points and yells, "This is a bee!! It's a pollinator! And makes honey!" I reply, "That's right! You sure know a lot."
May 30, 2024 at 1:08 AM
delusioninabox.bsky.social
Comic 2,535! This is by no means the Full Story of things that have been going on, but a piece of it. (And I obviously cannot speak to my daughter's perspective; only my own as a parent.)
Drawings accompanied by text. Text reads: "Our daughter once choked. The food got stuck in her esophagus. We never predicted in those days what it would lead to. Fear is not always rational. It cannot be bribed or washed away with logic. It can make the sweetest treats feel like poison. We have to disregard all those diet and food rules we were raised on. A good day is to eat at all, no matter what it is. We have to be clm, optimistic, and brave when she cannot. But often it can feel so isolating and draining. Like no one understands it except for us and a few doctors. We're watching others live their lives... while we feel stuck in a loop we can't escape."
May 28, 2024 at 2:19 AM
delusioninabox.bsky.social
Comic 2,534! Kids be like, "How long does it take grown-ups to feel better? Like a minute?"
Drawing starts with me telling my daughter, who is 4, "Mommy and Daddy feel a little sick, so we're just going to watch you play while we rest, okay?" She says cheerfully, "Uh-huh! You got it! I can play all by myself!" We start to drift off to the sound of her playing...only to suddenly be awoken by her yelling, "WATCH THIS!!! I'm a tiger! RAWR!!!!" as she leaps off the armrest of the couch on top of us.
May 27, 2024 at 1:48 AM
delusioninabox.bsky.social
Comic 2,533! Noticing my child doing things right and thanking them for it has been the most rewarding thing in parenting for me. ♥️
Comic. In the first drawing, I see my 4-year-old throwing away her own trash. I say, "WOW, you threw away your own garbage! Thank you! That's a really big help to keep the house clean." She says, "You're welcome!" In the next drawing, I'm snuggling my daughter as I tuck her into bed. I say with a smile, "Thank you for playing with me today! I had so much fun." She smiles shyly and replies, "Heheh. You're welcome! I loved playing with you too." Then we're eating at the table when my daughter says, "Mommy, I LOVE the way you eat with your mouth closed." That's something I've praised her for! I laugh out a "thank you." Finally, while walking with her, I tell her, "You did a really job listening and following directions back there. I really appreciate it." She says, "You're welcome! Mommy, I feel good when you say that." I answer, "Yeah. I feel good when I help and am thanked too."
May 26, 2024 at 1:49 AM
delusioninabox.bsky.social
Comic 2,532! The saga continues in an inevitable way. 🥲 (But it looks like I did nothing since the clutter is still there rip)
Shows me cleaning wildly: vacuuming, mopping, dishes, and more! James pops up looking thoughtful and says, "Yesterday was too overwhelming, but today you're a monster...what gives?" We stare at each other in silence for a minute. Then I finally admit, "I... I'm avoiding other tasks." (He replies, "Ah, that explains it.")
May 24, 2024 at 12:08 AM
delusioninabox.bsky.social
Comic 2,531! Logic: "A little goes a long way." My brain: "DO EVERYTHING OR IT'S A FAILURE!"
Comic. In the first panel, I'm exclaiming with a determined face, "I'm gunna do it!! I'll clean this WHOLE room!!!" Next panel shows me standing nervously in the room, surrounded by clutter and chaos. Then James pops his head out and says, "Huh? What happened? I thought you were going to clean." I collapse on the ground in despair and lament, "I was immediately overwhelmed when I realized the scope and gave up." James says, "Ah... that's fair. You know you should only do a bit at a time." I reply, "I both know and keep forgetting."
May 22, 2024 at 9:02 PM
delusioninabox.bsky.social
Comic 2,530! Me, crying in the doctor's office: "I have friends! I DO!!!" Doctor, writing furiously in their notes, "Uh-huh. Of course."
Message on my phone reads, "Please fill out this form before your appointment." I say, "okie dokie!" and begin to fill it out. One question gives me pause: "How often do you see your friends?" The only options are "multiple times per week" or "never". I say nervously, "Uh. Well. Not EVERY week, but...Is NEVER really my ONLY other option?! I swera I have friends! We're all just busy!!"
May 21, 2024 at 11:23 PM
delusioninabox.bsky.social
Comic 2,529! An additional "what I've been up to" post. I almost forgot how much joy can be in the creative process. 😭
I recently dyed my hair purple to help me feel more like "me" and less just "mom" and "work". And I LOVE it! I've also been writing gain. Just a little. But it builds. And know what? I'm even having a lot of fun again. I've been doing much better about letting out words without being critical at the same time. It's made it a lot easier to actually write. And it's also made it something else: joyful. And that joy has given me the strength to draw again and be me.
May 21, 2024 at 1:16 AM
delusioninabox.bsky.social
Comic 2,528! It's been quite a few years in general, but the last six months in particular were especially difficult. Some days are still tough, but we're also having more good ones.
Comic text: "We lost Oliver unexpectedly last year. It was really hard for all of us. This year started off challenging with our girl in the hospital for two weeks, and then another week a month later. It's been a long road to recovery. But we're all getting there. On the bright side, it has helped me refocus on my priorities and taking care of myself too. We are coming to the other side stronger as a family and with more love than ever."
May 19, 2024 at 6:56 PM
delusioninabox.bsky.social
I love when my sister does voice to text while driving home from work because sometimes I get gems like this in the middle of the conversation.
A text message that says "oh shit somebody is what the fuck are you what the fuck"
November 2, 2023 at 9:18 PM
delusioninabox.bsky.social
I'd always been the type of person who would get depressed over angry, so anger was not an emotion I felt very familiar dealing with. And it also wasn't something I expected to feel so much after being a parent. But some days the exhaustion, overwhelm, and frustration really get me.
Intense closeup of my face look tense and thinking to myself, "Don't lose your shit. Don't lose your shit. Don't--" I finally say aloud, "Mommy feels very tense and hot. I'm angry. I'm going to take a minute to calm down." I go into the hallway, take a big inhale of breath, and then breath out fire while thinking curse words. Feeling better, I march back into the room and boldly say, "OKAY. Now I can help YOU calm down too." to my child. "We can do this."
September 9, 2023 at 2:24 AM
delusioninabox.bsky.social
This same child was also devastated about not being invited to our wedding from on account of having not been born yet.
I'm sitting on a rug, my 3-year-old daughter on my lap as I read to her. "It was love at first sight," I read. Then I add, "Just like when Mommy met Daddy!" My child turns to me with huge tearful eyes and cries, "B-but not ME?" I panic and hurry to reassure her with, "Of COURSE I loved you right when I saw you!! BEFORE you were born even!! When you were the size of a bean!" Having made a full recovery, she cheerfully replies, "Oh, okay. Good."
September 7, 2023 at 10:16 PM
delusioninabox.bsky.social
I 100% thought we were going to be trapped forever in a play tower for a while there to be honest. 😳 The relief upon us finally getting out via slide truly made me appreciate being alive lmao
My 3-year-old starts climbing up a tower made up of climbing ropes and says, "Mommy, climb up with me!" I reply, "There's no way I'll fir in those gaps." Soon she's high on top screaming, "AAHHH! Mommy, I can't get down!!" I'm struggling to reach her and reply, "And I can't get up...! Slide down, I'll catch you!" She grabs the ropes and starts to lower herself down. (We're both like "ahhh!") Then we finally make it out the tall slide, screaming, "Ahhhhh" until we finally reach the bottom and can exclaim, "We're free!"
September 3, 2023 at 8:59 PM
delusioninabox.bsky.social
Kiddo considers herself very clever and she's not wrong.
My husband bends down to our daughter, who is 3, and asks, "Do you want Daddy or Grandpa to do bedtime?" She smiles smugly, throws her hands on her hips, and declares, "Only someone with a ponytail can do bedtime. I think that would be a good idea." My dad and husband both turn to look at me, the only one with hair long enough to put in a ponytail. I exclaim, "H-HEY! I'm not supposed to be an option tonight!"
September 2, 2023 at 1:43 AM
delusioninabox.bsky.social
This is when you give up, smile, and say, "Oh, that's great!" 🥲
My 3YO exclaims, "Mommy, I saw a (???)!" Me, having no idea what she said, says, "A what?" She repeats the incomprehensible word. I begin to guess: "Clown? Cow? Cloud? Crowd? Crown?" She gets frustrated and says, "NO! A (????)!" Then she rolls her eyes and huffs, "UGH! Mommy! LISTEN! Just say what I'm saying!!!" I reply, "I am!!!" while thinking, "You're the one probably saying it wrong!"
August 24, 2023 at 2:00 AM
delusioninabox.bsky.social
Hurt me and I'll apologize but hurt someone I love and I'll be like LET'S GET READY TO RUUUUMBLEEEEEE!
I pick up the phone and say cheerfully, "Oh, hi honey. How did it go?" I turn surprised to hear my husband sobbing as he tells me what happened, and as he continues, flames light up in my eyes. I turn furious and yell, "Who hurt you?! I WILL END THEM!!!"
August 22, 2023 at 1:54 AM