i give up.... a venting

I am glad it is the end of summer...I for one am about at my wits end ...ha ha thats funny "about" that notion passed a few weeks ago, I am currently about to self medicate. We have been very busy and kids have been up late, I am certain their clocks are out of whack, so we have been putting them to bed early this past week to prep for school ....something they LOVE. But seriously, I think this goes past out of whack internal clocks, I am loosing it here. Here is an example Taking my boys to the store is like taking 2 circus cats, Macy is pretty good since she always goes with me and is used to it I guess. Don't get me wrong they can be helpful in getting items but they can't keep their hands off each other...it is a constant wrestling match. My code phrase is go to separate countries to try and get them away from each other and it is like they hate the wrestling but love it or have a compulsion to do it b/c it always goes back there. Same at home which I detest the noise but if they are both happy then fine but in a store be a human, walk, speak....none of this involves hitting, grabbing, sucker punches. Also clearly I have been to lax in my punishments b/c today when I took away all the boys "screens" ALL I heard for the remainder of the store is Dale whining of how can he earn it back, what can he do to make it better, crying and fuming....and I am doing my very best to get across to him that by not accepting the consequence he is making it worse. Why after 8 years can he not get it I am perplexed. And Reid well that little helper I am so torn with....he loves to help truly loves it, but it is not always helpful...example at the store checking out....he is ringing up items like it is a race, replacing them to the conveyor belt, the machine is all bells and whistles that the items are not in the bagging area, we need assistance, I am pleading PLEASE WAIT Reid....his reply is I just wanted to help...but (sigh......).
Why is it that punishing Dale is a piece of cake....screens and he is broken, Macy take toys, or colors....DONE...but Reid is hard he is not really into games, or toys and time out is ok but short lived....outside time is a good one but when it is 100+ we are not going outside when it not essential....he is kinda untouchable...which irks me. I like to have a solid go to item.

And now that I am just venting I have no idea what happens at 4:40 in Dale when it is time to get dressed for Football, Reid is dressed, shoes tied, water done by 4:45 all on his own....Dale is fussing and whining that he is itchy and why did I not do anything to help him...(no mention of itching the other 23 hours of the day) BUT NOW well it is all my fault and lets not start on the shoes ...we have to put them on like 3 times each b/c they are not right and make his feet spicy( explain that), I have tried not helping him but he will make me late. Its my fault that he has to pee in the middle of practice and can't get his pants off and on fast enough, b/c the slide is too tight or the tied part is tangled.....on and on for a solid 45 mins....you would think I feed this but I promise you I am walking away or not engaging...they he asks why don't you answer...by this point I have transformed into MT. Mamma and am gonna loose it. Yet once at practice he is this other kid....no complaints giving his all and after he is happy as a lark. Is the time before simply insecurities he is feeling??? I dunno but I give up trying to understand. I assume it is b/c he is the most like me why we clash so much... Final example....I took away his screens....screens.... so a person would deduce that if it has a screen then it is off limits....ok so a neighbor come to the door and asks to play
...dale says I can't I was bad at the store ...
neighbor leaves...
I ask later if the neighbor just wanted to play wii
....no just play, but I said I couldn't
.....oh is that what your punishment was
...what do you mean Mom
.... I gave you your punishment and if that is how you interpreted it then so be it.
...What do you mean
....Dale what did I say at the store
...that I lost my screens
.....ok
...but last time you did not let me go outside when I lost them
...no dale it was 9:30 and dark that is why I said no, they were unrelated
....thats not fair, I just lost another privilege so do I earn one back
...no

I guess I should look for more of the humor in it all....but when you are experiencing it numerous times the humor is lost.....

Loss of innocence

On the train ride to NYC Dale and I sat together and he asked me randomly if the Easter bunny was real... I said it is as real as you want it to be....he said really Mom I wanna know is it you and dad.... I said what do you think....he said I think it is...and I said you are right. Then he sat and said what about Santa....I said again...it is as real as you want it to be...reply I KNEW IT! Then I threatened him with in an inch of his life to NOT tell Reid and Macy. Explaining that I told him b/c I felt he was big enough to handle the information the right way and play along. Then seeming kinda sad I explained why I said as real as you want it... that I do believe in the Christmas spirit and that is what Santa represents...giving, and joy in the season. So sort of a right of passage out of the little kid years on to big ones....

NYC

Central park

Swimming

A Breezy Statue of Liberty

Mars 2112

Kids Street Drawing

Top of the Rock

Toys R Us Ferris Wheel

Wall Street Bull

At Shrek

Top of the Rock

Twin Tower Memorial fountain

Ice Cream after Shrek

(cue music) If I can make it here...... I'll make it....

UH probably not. Was it fun...YES but I just do not think that I could live that lifestyle. I love my pantry that is the size of an entire NYC kitchen that holds cases of water, soda, Gatorade, and soooo much more. I love that I have 2 full size fridges in my house, and a whole room devoted to my kids toys. The NYC lifestyle is just SOOO different, none the less to see a glimpse of it was fun.

Here was our trip we flew into Newark, grabbed a train to NYC and a cab to the hotel. Next day we did the Twin Towers tour and Statue of Liberty. It is such a change having gone one year before the attack of 9-11 and returning now. There are security screenings everywhere, which is a good thing for safety but also very sad that the innocence is gone and is replaced by sniffing machines and finger print lockers so NO keys enter buildings. The Statue was neat and the kids took a park ranger test and learned quite a lot about the history of the statue. Funny part was they had to take an oath to get the badge... began I "state your name" and all three in unison said" I state your name"....and Dale then said oh wait "I Dale" The kids saw their first homeless man sleeping on a bench and he had a NASTY toenail sticking out from his blanket and Macy said....He really needs some clippers to clean his toes they are YUCKY! and she was right looked like years of funk on those feet. Dinner at forest gumps on Broadway and called it a night at our Marriott Marquis hotel room that overlooked Times Square...really cool.

We then we went to Rockefeller center, and shopped all the great big stores FAO, Toys R US, rode the Ferris wheel, Disney store, Nintendo World. Snacked at Magnolia Bakery, and did what turned out to be a favorite....vendor hot dogs....fast, cheap and yummy. We saw SHREK on Broadway and I was very impressed...it was great with lots of adult humor, Ate at a revolving restaurant. We also tackled Central park and the boats and fountains that was ok but ended at a play park in the park with water jets and play sets and that was a huge hit. We ate at Mars 2112...this cool restaurant that takes you to mars to eat complete with aliens. Finally we walked canal st. and saw all the street sales...bought a hello kitty necklace for macy, ate at a hole in the wall burger king on the edge of china town that charged for the restroom if you did not have a receipt. We also rode the subways to and fro and the kids thought that was cool but different...and the taxis were a hit too what kid wouldn't love a crazy cabbie. Dale decided he wanted Wii Sports Resort that was releasing the next morning so he and Duke went and stood in line to get it and saw a movie being filmed, and a few famous folks on the streets...all in all a great time.