Them v. Me

You know what my problem is right now?  It's that my four year old insists that I NOT discipline my 3 year old. I realize this problem is small potatoes compared to so many people with real problems.  I'm not so silly and self absorbed to think it's an actual problem.  In fact the more I think about it, it's really more entertaining than a problem and I hope you are entertained by it too.

Justin stands in complete defense of Leo every day.  I guess that's what big brothers do.  If I so much as say boo to Leo, Justin is right there telling me how I should let up on him so that Leo won't cry or his feelings won't be hurt or he can still have his prize, etc. 

Tonight, as with so many nights, those discussions center around dinnertime.  Ahhhhh, dinnertime.  The thorn in my side in more ways than one.  Leo's constant "I don't like that" mantra is to be expected these days.  He didn't fail me tonight.  To set up the story I have to go back to last night.  If the boys finished their dinner they got the ultimate reward: a blueberry muffin for dessert.  I know you are jealous. 

Leo ate pretty good but he got too distracted and didn't finish within the allotted dinner time (which is a requirement lest it go on for 3 hours).  And of course, Leo was sad and disappointed that he didn't finish his food.  Such are the lessons in life.  Also a lesson in life: sit quite while letting your big brother fight your battles. And that's what Justin did tonight.

Leo didn't want what we were serving.  Big fat shocker there.  I simply reminded him that he will have to eat all of it before he will get a blueberry muffin.  To which Justin replies:

"Mom, you are making me very angry!  Just let him eat whatever he wants so he won't cry.  Just give him a muffin so he'll be happy.  I don't like it when you make him cry."

So I respond with my obligatory "I'm the mom....I make the rules for the house....everyone has to follow them, etc, etc." And Justin's reply is "I'm getting so angry about this.  I'm going to knock out a tooth I'm so angry.  I can't even stand it when you make Leo cry!!!"

Incidentally, Leo is backing ME up with this and reminding Justin that "mommy is in charge and she is the BOSS."  I'm no fool.  This is just the beginning of the them vs. me mentality.  I'm getting a good grip to hold on for the ride!!

Thoughts Of The Day

I am sort of out of the blog mode so in order to kick start my thoughts I decided to just make a running list of thoughts/events today to see if they produced blog ideas.  What I found is that they are kind of a blog in and of themselves. 

1. Laundry sucks. 
2. The junk drawer is overwhelming so I cleaned it out and spread the junk throughout out the house so it is all in its proper junky places.
3. The biggest tragedy of the day is that Justin's pink princess ring from Brooklyn's birthday party in July of last year broke. The "jewel" came unglued.  And so did Justin.
4. The card game War is extremely boring and I thank my dad for playing with us for hours on end.  Yes, it teaches number skills, blah, blah, blah but it's BORING!!
5. I have had a headache for 3 days and am grinding my teeth at night.  I have some sort of hidden stress that I'm not allowing myself to address.  That should be fun when it decides to surface in a few days and I do the big 1, 2, 3 FREAK OUT!  Better hope it doesn't come on you.
6. I am consistently amazed at the amount of food Justin can put away in a day.  Cannot keep him satisfied and I am acutely aware that this is only the beginning.
7. I have been cracked out on jelly beans since last week.  I tried to stop and quit them for two days this week.  Started up again yesterday.  It's so bad I'm even eating the black ones to make them last longer.  I would venture a guess that the sugar rush is one of the reasons for my consistent headache but I can't stop.  Not yet.  Maybe next week. 
8. I watched Far and Away this morning off and on.  I miss the old Tom Cruise or at least the Tom Cruise he pretended to be or thought he was back then.  I also think there's a good chance I would not have survived that time period.  I prefer looking for a house with a realtor, not a horse and a flag.  Plus, I don't think they had jelly beans back then. 
9. Justin told me today that when I "grow a baby" we are going to name it Juliet (from Gnomeo and Juliet) and that it "better be a girl" because he really likes that name.  He is the 3rd person this week to insinuate, or downright ask, if I am  preggo.  Must be all of the jelly beans I am eating.  And for the record, I am not!
10. I am not yet comfortable with the level of testosterone in my home.  Moments after promising each other to be nice and quit hitting/punching/pulling shirts, etc they turned their efforts towards their poor defenseless stuffed animals.  I have an awesome video that goes with this but it refuses to post tonight.  Such is life.  Maybe I can get it posted to Facebook.

Ten's a good round number.  I think I'll stop there.  Good night!