I step out the back door and there’s a garter snake.
I go to get in the van and there is a spider.
We get to swimming lessons at the new pool. Leo refuses to step foot in the water. I ask him if he wants to go to McDonald’s afterwards as planned. He says yes. I say, no pool, no McDonald’s. that was the deal. He stands there. We continue to negotiate. I tell him all he has to do is go stand in the water—which is ankle deep. He refuses. We continuge to negotiate. He wins. We go back to the van with the world’s most stubborn boy and me in a rage. I was SO angry. The problem with Leo is that he reminds me SO much of myself and yet he is more stubborn—-a scary combination. He sat with the thundercloud face while I lectured far too long. Finally he agreed to try tomorrow. I’m exhausted.
Owen finishes his swim class happy as a clam at high tide and we trundle on home. As he gets out of the van Owen announces he has to go to the bathroom and he can’t wait for the house so he’ll use his outdoor toilet.
“your WHAT?”
“my outdoor toilet Mommy”
“you have an outdoor toilet?”
“Yes, there it is” pointing at an upside down frisbee….
“We DO NOT PEE IN FRISBEES AROUND HERE”
tears, tears, and more tears while he stomps into the house and slams the bathroom door.
It’s only 11:58. We’re on our way to Mom and Dad’s for a cookout, grill and stubborn children in tow…..