Back on track!

Chad was away since Monday morning - I am extremely happy to report that he made it back home safe and sound around 9 o'clock tonight.

While he was away, I was reminded how extremely grateful I am that he doesn't travel on a weekly basis anymore.  He rarely travels at all.  I can't even remember the last time he was way.  I won't be able to say that the next time he is away - after the past 12 hours, I won't soon forget being a single parent for the past few days.  I admire and respect single parents, widows and military families...I truly don't know how they manage and try to remind myself of these situations when he is away briefly.  They live it every single day and rarely complain!  If they can make it work, I should be able to do it too....but I do a bad job!  If he still traveled every week.....well, lets just say I would be crazy!

It was an interesting 3 days.  Payton was not so nice to his assistant teacher on Monday.  Tuesday was one of the busiest days I can remember in the recent past.  Wednesday....Wednesday was ROUGH!  I had to wake Payton up on Wednesday morning because Wednesday is my early day at work.  A quick, but not so gentle, reminder that he is NOT a morning person and really doesn't do well with a change to his routine.  Forty minutes later, I had him strapped in the car - no bath, no breakfast, not even a brush through the hair....and no shoes, he took those off in the car and threw them at me.  WOW!  Talk about a rough start.  Of course, he had a great day at school....and, then I came back.  We attempted to get to church for my Bible study.  We couldn't follow our normal routine and that threw him off even more.  I made it into Bible study about 15 minutes late but I made it and I'm so happy I did!  I desperately needed it today!  Of course, in the midst of my extreme stress with a child who is making me question all of my parenting skills, he throws in a few simple reminders of why I love him so much.....good thing, I needed a reminder!

Payton is loud, easily excited, full of energy and full of life and love, wants to be the center of attention and the life of the party.  He is also stubborn, independent and thrives with order and a normal routine.....It is our job as parents to figure out how to mold all of these personality traits into a well behaved little boy.  I'm open to all suggestions and parenting books.  Does anyone have any good parenting books written for the "spirited" child?

Sweet Owen....oh, thankfully, sweet Owen was an angel for me the past few days....or maybe he wasn't....but, his brothers bad behavior sure made him seem so well behaved!  Owen wants to be a big boy so badly.  Let's not rush it, we will be there soon enough!

We are all happy to have Daddy back home with all of us!  Welcome home!