Life with Boys

Today, I was home with Owen while Payton was at school.

I had a loooong night last night...coughing until nearly 3:30 in the morning without one second of shut eye...for real!  I was tired and cranky this morning to say the least.

Chad left with Payton to head to school.  Mommy climbed back in bed while Owen watched cartoons at the foot of the bed.  Sweet, sweet boy climbed up and over to me and asked why I did not feel good.  I explained that I felt fine, I was just tired and reminded him of my cough that he had been worried about for the past few days.

While there are times that I don't want him to snuggle up next to me on my pillow....for example, at 3 o'clock in the morning...there are other times when it couldn't be more perfect.

When I told him my cough had bothered me last night, he snuggled right up beside me and in the sweetest little way gave me the biggest hug ever.  To give these hugs, he gets as close as possible and wraps his arms as far around as possible.  He said we could snuggle and watch Jake together...."okay Mommy?"  Okay little buddy, sounds perfect!

I had a long list of things to accomplish this morning....including 3 loads of sheets and towels and wanted to get an early start.  Instead, I took a chance to enjoy the moment and snuggled with my little buddy for a little longer!

The dryer may still be running but the extra snuggle was worth it!

Later in the day, the snuggles seemed a distant memory.

As we picked Payton up from school, his teacher had to tell me that Payton had a great day....Great!....but, during carpool, he picked up a small rock and threw it....and, the rock hit a car.  Apparently the driver of the car did not notice (or maybe they did and they will just bill me later!) but another teacher saw him do it.  The director of the preschool had to come have a little chat with Payton about the incident.  His teacher immediately said she didn't think he meant to hit the car....it was just his first instinct, to throw it, once he had it in his hand.  True....but, either way, he knew he would be in BIG trouble and immediately sank into his seat and did not say a word the entire way home.

He went straight to his room when we got home and for the afternoon (while his brother slept...HOORAY!), he helped me sort through some things.  He knew he would be in big trouble once Daddy got home, so he was trying to be on his best behavior.

Once Daddy got home, we had a loooong talk....it was decided that Payton would go ahead and go to t-ball practice (although he thought for hours that he was going to have to miss practice) and we would go ahead with our plans to attend a fundraiser dinner....but, as soon as dinner was over, Payton would go straight to his room for the rest of the night.  He was nearly an angel for the rest of the day...but, he did got straight to his room once we got home...and he was dramatic and he cried....but going to bed while still light outside seemed to make an impression.  Let's hope so!  No more rock throwing....PLEASE!

The little guy, who had been talking about Payton hitting the car with the rock, apparently felt left out of the punishment.  Owen decided he would try to "score" a large, hard rubber Goofy figurine (it is supposed to be a bath toy) in the baby crib.  The Goofy toy hit the baby crib and left a nice blue mark.  A blue mark that I can't get off...about the size of a dime right in the middle of the headboard of the baby crib.  In the grand scheme of things, not that big of a deal; however, that baby crib was handmade by my father and will (already is) a family heirloom that will be cherished until the end of time...or until it is destroyed by one of my mischievous children.

Owen also went to time out....and cried and cried and cried.  His worst punishment is that he had to call Grandpa to tell him what he had done.  Grandpa wasn't home and he wouldn't even tell Grandma.  Now, Owen's brain erases things quickly....he has NO fear and over all is a pretty mischievous kid....his lesson may not sink in....but, when he forgets, I'll quickly show him the big blue mark on his baby brother's crib....and I think he will remember.

Punishing Payton was not so difficult...afterall, he threw a rock at a car.  He may not have intended to hit the car with the rock but he did choose to pick up the rock and he did choose to throw the rock.  No problems with his punishment.

Owen was a tougher story....no, he should not throw a 4 inch tall Goofy toy....but, who would have ever expected it to leave a blue mark on the crib?  Mama is slightly to blame because the crib has become a gathering spot for miscellaneous  baby items and just earlier today, I asked him to go and score a pacifier that we found in a drawer.  In his little mind, "scoring" Goofy probably wasn't too much different....but, the blue mark really didn't help his case.  Owen is sensitive at times...so, as he was scolded and as we discussed again and again what he had done wrong, his little lips pouted out and his eyes would water.  It was pitiful and Mommy wanted to cry too!  After all, there is no way he intended to leave a mark on the bed.

Ahhh....the joys the parenting....punishing correctly and trying to figure out what is a mistake or an accident or just a really bad decision.

At least neither of my boys have attempted to carve the initials of their sibling...in an attempt to "frame" the other...into the crib my father made....these poor choices might be genetic....their father is guilty of carving his sisters initials into a bed....lucky for CLW little CJW's handwriting wasn't quite as legible as hers!  I wonder how he was punished?