Trouble brewing
Two entries today for Carter's nonexistent baby book:
1. This afternoon, for the first time in his young life, my sweet boy rolled his eyes at me. And sighed heavily and dramatically as if to say, How, exactly, did I manage to end up with the world's drippiest mother? I cannot wait to leave home.
And in an instant, my heart shattered into a kabillion tiny shards. Because what precipitated this wee snit was that I'd played for him the silly lullaby I've sung to him nearly every night since he was old enough to request it.
However, by the time he shot me his third eyeroll for some other petty aggravation, this one accompanied by a surly glare, I was pretty much over it.
2. Also, and I'm not implying there's a connection between the two events, just recording the facts: Carter committed his very first crime today. Yep, pocketed a piece of gum from a little gas station about a half-hour north of Birmingham.
It was pretty innocuous, really; he was milling around the place while Trey waited in line to buy a Diet Dr Pepper, and he grabbed a handful of candy, which he was promptly told to put right back, mister. And he did, except for that lone wrapped gumball, which he revealed to Trey in the parking lot.
Trey marched him back inside, of course, made him apologize to the cashier and pay for the gumball with a quarter he'd been saving. The cashier, who'd obviously played this role before, solemnly told him he'd done the right thing, as she made change for the quarter.
All's well now. No big deal. But this parenting stuff? Not for sissies.
1. This afternoon, for the first time in his young life, my sweet boy rolled his eyes at me. And sighed heavily and dramatically as if to say, How, exactly, did I manage to end up with the world's drippiest mother? I cannot wait to leave home.
And in an instant, my heart shattered into a kabillion tiny shards. Because what precipitated this wee snit was that I'd played for him the silly lullaby I've sung to him nearly every night since he was old enough to request it. However, by the time he shot me his third eyeroll for some other petty aggravation, this one accompanied by a surly glare, I was pretty much over it.
2. Also, and I'm not implying there's a connection between the two events, just recording the facts: Carter committed his very first crime today. Yep, pocketed a piece of gum from a little gas station about a half-hour north of Birmingham.
It was pretty innocuous, really; he was milling around the place while Trey waited in line to buy a Diet Dr Pepper, and he grabbed a handful of candy, which he was promptly told to put right back, mister. And he did, except for that lone wrapped gumball, which he revealed to Trey in the parking lot.
Trey marched him back inside, of course, made him apologize to the cashier and pay for the gumball with a quarter he'd been saving. The cashier, who'd obviously played this role before, solemnly told him he'd done the right thing, as she made change for the quarter.
All's well now. No big deal. But this parenting stuff? Not for sissies.
posted by mrsf5 at 10:11 PM
7 Comments:
just give me time to read your words.
We must be suffering from the same bad momma juju. I'll be blogging about it later. But let's just say the "I wish I had never been born to you" were involved from my 7 year old.
The lies you tell about my sweet bug. I know it was Katie that did it....Bug was just protecting her. I mean he is the oldest.
Aaaaaah, the eyeroll. Around our house, we call it "the teenager stinkeye", and Joe-Henry started giving to me in earnest around the tender age of 4. If it makes you feel any better, he doesn't do it anymore. At least not when I'm looking.
And the gumball lesson? I really believe that forty years ago, every parent would have done the same as you, but now, not so much. In fact, I'd go so far as to say many parents would applaud his sneakery. Carter is going to remember that lesson forever, and he's awfully lucky he has you both for parents.
Love this post, friend.
welcome to the other side, sister.
where the kids are geniuses, the parents are dumbasses, and if they had an unlimited supply of candy, all would be right with the world.
or, in carter's case, gumballs.
Weintraub
I am happy in the stage I'm in with the little one. No eye rolling at two. We're doing good if the poop makes it to the potty.
Yeah to you and Trey for laying down the law and making him return the gumballs. I agree with Annie--it probably is no longer the norm for parents to teach the lesson in this way. Sad, but I think it's true.
NOT for sissies. You and Trey rock! These are not stories for the baby book, these are stories for the future dates!
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