Rough week

1st - last weekend was so much fun. It was great having real adult conversation. We did crafts that we could do with our Girl Scout girls. We had an open campfire and toasted marshmallows. It was just really fun.

Now, the rest of the week was really not good. Monday started out ok but Deklan was a little cranky in the afternoon. Tuesday got worse. Deklan has homework that he does every afternoon - it's a math work sheet. He loves math, add to the fact that it takes him 5 minutes or less to actually do the sheet, and it's usually no problem getting him to do his homework. Tuesday he took his work sheet scribbled on it, crumpled it up, and said he was finished. I immediately called his teacher to find out if there was a problem at school. She couldn't think of anything that might have triggered him. Tuesday is always busy so I had to get my girls ready for Scouts, Deklan ready for Boy Scouts, and then I had a PTA meeting after Scouts. Deklan's bus driver is on the PTA with me - she's the President, I'm the VP. I asked her how he was when he got off the bus, thinking maybe he sat with someone that upset him. She said he sat by himself and he seemed fine when he got off the bus, even saying "Bye Mrs. Amy." (She loves that he always calls her Mrs. Amy and not Ms. Amy or Miss Amy - she thinks it sounds cute.) Anyway, I didn't know what to think. Had a hard time getting him to bed. Wednesday morning just got worse. He let me get him dressed but that was the end of his cooperation. He wouldn't eat; he wouldn't get his jacket on; he wouldn't take his back pack; he wouldn't walk to the bus stop. I walked him out to the bus stop - I don't usually do that because I'm not always presentable in the mornings. (He usually walks with his sister so it's not like I send him out to the wolves alone.) The bus gets there and he won't get on. I put him on, Mrs. Amy tries to help carry him on, but he isn't budging. There's a line of cars so I have to take Deklan off the steps of the bus and drive him to school. Actually, I had to go get officially dressed - going braless without my hair combed to school just didn't feel right. I guess either/or but not both - just kidding. Anyway, the only way I could get him in the school was to walk him in and then agree to stay in the class room for awhile. Luckily his teacher was just heading out of the office when I was signing in. She tried to get Deklan to go to his room with her but he wasn't letting me go for anything. By now I'm thinking that something must have happened but since he's not talking then who knows! On the way to his class room we stopped by the IR room - I have no idea what IR stands for but it's the equivalent of a special education room. I talked to the teacher and let her know that Deklan was having a bad day. I honestly haven't completely made up my mind about her but I'm leaning towards useless. Anyway, I told him I would sit at the back of the room but he had to sit in his desk just like normal. After about an hour or so I went in the hall to sit. I wanted to see if he would be alright or if he really would have a problem if I wasn't there. I didn't hear anything from him and checked on him before leaving - he was following along, sullenly, with his class, but no melt down. I felt extremely guilty when I left but he needs to be able to do this on his own and the school knows how to get a hold of me so I wasn't completely abandoning him. I called and checked on him at noon. He was doing fine. When he got home he went immediately into melt down mode - partially to guilt me I think.

"I didn't know where you went. I wanted you to stay with me all day."

"Well, you didn't tell the teacher you were upset. I stayed in the hall and waited to see if you even noticed - you didn't, by the way. And I called and checked on you and you were doing just fine or I would have come back."

Cue the alligator tears. He got crankier after that. Thursday morning he wouldn't get ready, he didn't eat, he didn't want to go. I told him that he had to go to school. They didn't have school on Friday because of in-service so Thursday was the last day of the school week. I also promised that I would go to his Halloween party at school. I will stay as long as the party lasts and, when it's over, I'll let him be a car rider. He agreed and did fine all day. Friday, not so good again. He was cranky - the sisters were cranky - I was cranky. I was going to take the kids to the pumpkin patch/corn maze but I had to have reservations to be added to a group already going through. We were going to go around 3 in the afternoon. At 1 1/2 - 2 hours I knew we were looking at a tiresome evening but figured the kids would enjoy it. Then I got a call from a good friend. She said her family was going to the movies to see Beverly Hills Chihuahua and would we like to go along. A couple of other friend's families were going too. We haven't been invited out with friends in a long time and thought it would be really nice to go. I asked the kids what they would rather do - I was not going to do both the pumpkin patch and the movie - I may be crazy but I'm not stupid. It was voted 2 to 1 for the movie. That's when my middle child decided that she wasn't important, we never listen to her, I don't love her, I don't care about her - you get the idea. The whole day was one frustration after another. Anyway, we went to the movie and had a great time - even middle child. Saturday was ok. Sunday I woke up with a terrible headache and stomach ache. We did our weekly cleaning - each child getting his own list of chores to complete. Deklan thought it was terrible that we made him help too.

"Can't you give me an easy job?"

"I did. Help your sister pickup YOUR toys in Sister's room and pick up the bags that fell under the table from the groceries. That's all you have to do - what could be easier?"

"That's so hard!"

"You take longer whining about it than actually doing it."

Bedtime was worse.

"I can't sleep alone."

"You sleep alone all the time."

"No, I need you to sleep with me."

"Uh... sleep with your sister."

"No, I need you to sleep with me."

"Fine. You go to sleep now and I'll be in later. I'll lay down with you for awhile but then I am going to my own bed or I won't sleep."

"Ok."

Cue the 5 a.m. scream in the dark.

"What is going on?!"

"You didn't sleep with me!"

"Yes, I did for a little while but you were already asleep."

"I want you to sleep with me."

"Deklan, I'll lay down for a few minutes but I'm tired, my head still hurts too and your bed is not comfy for mommy."

"I won't stop crying unless you sleep with me."

Do I hear blackmail in his voice?

"I will lay down for a few minutes but then I have to go to my own bed. I need to be in my room when the alarm goes off so I know when to get you and sissy up. My head hurts and I need to go to the bathroom so a few minutes is all you get."

"I won't stop crying unless you stay with me."

After a few minutes of him still arguing and not even trying to sleep, I got up and went to the bathroom. He screamed. Daddy got mad. I told daddy to put Deklan in my bed and I'd be there in a minute. Once I laid down with him, he was reasonably ok but still wouldn't settle down and go to sleep. Then it was time to get the kids up and guess who decided he was too tired to get up. That did NOT go over well with me or his daddy. Once he got up he did ok. He even helped get himself dressed while I swept the bathrooms and kitchen and mopped. He went to school in a great mood. I hope it keeps up. Anyway, that was my week. Sorry this was so long. When I get frustrated I don't blog like I should and the result is a 20 page blog. :)

Have a happy week!