Wednesday, July 16, 2008

A Three Post Day?

I don't really feel like today warranted three posts, necessarily, but it's happening anyway. It unfortunately ended on a bad note: we went to Costco and stocked up, grabbed a quick bite to eat, then headed home. It was obvious that Andrew was starting to wear out, even though he slept for almost 3 hours today, so we started cleaning up the living room. That room looked, and no exaggeration here, like we had been ransacked and robbed--only just in that room. See, Andrew was downstairs by himself for a while this morning while I finished getting ready, and he proceeded to dump drawers of toys, empty all the puzzles of their pieces, and basically just pull out everything he owns. We were in such a hurry that we left it, and of course I didn't pick it up while he was napping today. (Perish the thought.) Anyway, all three of us started cleaning up, only at a certain point Andrew kind of quit and just sat there amongst his matchbox cars. Our threat to get him motivated lately has been, "Mommy's going to get a Food Lion bag and put those away if you don't get them cleaned up." That usually hustles him right up. Well, he called the bluff (which really wasn't a bluff) when he hadn't cleaned up after I gave him 7 minutes on the timer to get finished. The little turkey even said, "I'll help you get the Food Lion bag." Grrrrr!!! Well, the timer went off, I got the bag and started putting toys that were on the floor in the bag, and all hell broke loose. It wasn't a temper tantrum, nor did he seem angry---it was like he was terrified and grief-stricken at the same time. The look on his face was enough to make me want to give the toys back and slit my wrists, not necessarily in that order, but I had to pick him up and put him on the couch while I got the rest, meanwhile trying really hard not to cry myself because he was so pitiful. And of course I had to follow through! I have NEVER seen him cry like that. I put the plastic bag up on top of the entertainment center, and Andrew climbed into my lap and clung to me for dear life, still SOBBING. Ugggh, it was brutal. It was so bad that James left the room (thanks, sweetie!) Once he calmed down (although still doing that little hyperventilating thing that happens when you can't catch your breath after crying), we talked about taking care of things that are important to you and keeping things nice so you have them for a long time, and about how the toys were okay up there, he just couldn't have them for a little while. I don't know how much sunk in, but the look on his face was still unbearable, and I almost didn't make it through. I dread tomorrow when he starts asking for them, and I have to decide what a reasonable amount of time to hold them hostage is---maybe until lunchtime, maybe the whole day. Maybe he won't ask for them and I won't have to worry about it (hah--some of his favorite stuff is in there).

On a brighter entertainment note, I am SOOOOOO excited about the 4th book in the Twilight series. I just re-read Twilight and New Moon, and I'm waiting for my slowly-reading, highly distractible sister to finish with Eclipse so I can read it again. My timing didn't quite work out---I wanted to flow through all three just before Breaking Dawn is released so it could all be this fluid thing, but I tore through the first two in a day each. My two splurgy expenses in the next few weeks will be Rick's new album, Venus in Overdrive, which comes out the 29th, and Breaking Dawn on the 1st. There's a great article about the Twilight movie with a couple of awesome pictures here---it's going to be tough to wait until December to see it. ---T

2 comments:

youarekiddingme said...

"The little turkey even said, "I'll help you get the Food Lion bag." Grrrrr!!!"
They are little buggers, aren't they! Monkey Man has plenty of those moments! The two's were nothing, it's terrible THREE'S!

Tamara said...

Hey, thanks for visiting and commenting! Andrew's not even officially three yet--not 'til August, but if that's any indication of what's to come, holy cow! --T

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