Thursday, November 17, 2011

Sick or Not?

What a doozie this morning was! The girl came into my bedroom complaining of a tummy ache and a headache. As we all know, those symptoms are hard to prove. I sent her downstairs to eat some breakfast to see if that might help. She ate her cereal and continued to complain of a tummy ache, headache gone. Trying to figure out exactly what was going on was quite the challenge. She cried a bit stating that she really wasn't feeling well. I wanted to tell her to march her hiney up the stairs and get dressed but instead I tried a different approach. I told her that she could either go get dressed and ready for school or she could go climb back in bed and rest for the day. That was a BIG no go! She looked up at me with tears streaking down her little cheeks and said, "Mommy I just want to stay home and read." How do you say no to reading?

Luckily most of her morning chores were done. Once she got dressed and finished the rest of her chores she found the book that she had wanted to read so badly. She plopped herself next to me on the couch resting her warm little arm on my leg and began reading. She did such a great job.

Soon it was time to leave for school. She got herself up, shoes on and out the door. We walked to the bus stop and she climbed on the bus. Not one more mention of a tummy ache or headache! I even got lots of blown kisses and hugs through the window of the bus.

Just another say in our home!

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Bus love

Waiting for the bus this afternoon was not business as usual. The bus doors open and the bus driver asks me to step up for a quick talk, ummm not good! She goes on to tell me that the boy is having trouble keeping his bottom in his seat. He's turning around and yelling "I love you Erica" to a little girl on the bus. After our discussion she lets everyone off the bus. When it was his turn to disembark he had his head hung down knowing full well he was in trouble....again. I begin to talk to him about the importance of sitting down in his seat for safety. I go on to stress the importance of not yelling on the bus, it makes it hard for the bus driver to concentrate. I then asked him about Erica. I told him he needed to stop yelling to her and telling her that he loved her. He looked up at me with his big blue eyes and round little face and said "but mom, she's pretty!" Fair enough!

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

The Runaway


After school today was an interesting one. The boy refused to do his homework as requested. Instead he chose to throw a temper tantrum on the floor. After 2 short stints in his room he was out and homework was done. As I'm walking around the kitchen the dog runs for her life from a big waving tube of cardboard (the boy's "map"). Goodnight show is now taken away from the boy and the sh## hits the fan. Tears and yells as he is off to his room for the 3rd time this evening. From behind the closed door yells are being heard, "you don't love me!" When the crying has subsided I ask him to join me downstairs for a little heart to heart about what happened to get him where he is at that moment. He comes downstairs and proclaims "I am done with this family." He proceeds to tell me that he wants to live with another family. First he chooses the family down the street, I explain that they have children and are full up! Next he chooses to go live with Grandma. I tell him that I would be very sad if he left but if that's what he needs to do to be happy then he should pack.

Ummmm he called my bluff! Thump thump thump down the stairs comes my little boy and his suitcase, filled to capacity! He gets his shoes and coat on and is ready to go. I tell him that I can't drive him, it's too far and it's dinner time. He looks at me and bursts into tears. He tells me he just can't stay. He then realizes he's going to have to walk to Grandma's house and a whole new set of tears come streaming out of his eyes. I ask him to sit on my lap and I hold his shaking little body. Telling him that I want him to be happy is a hard task, I want to cry and hold tight and ask why he wants to leave so badly. I hold him tight and I ask him to stay. He shakes his little head against my chest that is now covered in tears, his. As we move from the foyer to the livingroom couch (much more comfortable) he asks to call Grandma, what was said in that conversation I don't know but the tears have stopped.

Luckily I was able to convince him to stay until after dinner. After a conversation with Daddy about what was wrong and a nice yummy meal, okay so asparagus aren't his favorite, he's not mentioned that he's off to live with Grandma again. Don't think I won't be listening extra hard for any escapees tonight!

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Double Dating

On the way to the bus stop this morning they boy looks up and says, "mommy do you know what double dating is?" The girl tries to pipe up with her definition but I had to stop her so I could hear his thoughts. As we walked he continued, "when you swing right next to another person at the same time you are double dating." I turned to my daughter and she agreed, she continued to tell me that she only double dates with boys because the girls don't swing long enough.

As we're walking and they're filling me in on double dating I'm trying not to laugh. I do hope that they both continue thinking double dating is swinging side by side at the same pace. Life would be so much easier if swinging and laughing and playing were the true definition of double dating.