Daddy Flips Out!

Copycat! I had a bad day and now G3 thinks he can have a bad day too! To be fair, he had had a hard day at work and was tired, but he was really set off by Alex playing music way too loud and not telling us he was going out bike riding.  But instead of saying anything and having a hissy fit like I did, he goes to bed! Mars vs. Venus - I guess.

But, I really think that he is not being given much of a chance to bond with Alex. His job is very high-powered and he works long hours, and I am home with the kids all day and homeschooling them. I am also a little bit of a mamma bear and get in protective mode, which probably does interfere with anybody else getting close!

But anyway, back to my story - after G3 went to bed last night, G4 and Amanda followed close behind and left me with Alex - one hungry kid. So I made him dinner and then he grabbed my hand and led me outside to the back porch and the chaise lounges saying, "Go outside. Nice sky and stars. You I talk." And we did. We spent about 2 hours out there just stargazing and looking at the mountains. He was asking questions about our upcoming camping trip this weekend and then told me about the times he went camping with his dad. He told me they used to go next to a big lake. He liked everything about it except the bugs and sleeping on the ground. He will like camping in our motorhome!

We talked about Halloween - he was asking about the traditions over here. He had seen all of our creepy decorations in the storage closet and was wondering about it. I described to him our haunted house and he got very excited. Right up a 14yo's alley! Looks like G3 has another partner in crime - I am more of the dancing pumpkin and Casper the Friendly Ghost kind of person - while everyone else in the family is a scare the pants off the crowd kind of person. This is why I give out the candy!

It was a wonderful time together - I have come to treasure these talks we have. I am sure they will get better when his English gets better but companionable silence is ok too. I feel like he really wants to share things with me that he might be reluctant to in front of others.

This morning, we went to his kickboxing class at 9:00 am. I told him - this was true love! Getting out of bed voluntarily at 8:00 am to take him somewhere! I took a coffee with me and finished it quick in the car - and was still moaning. So Alex looked at me and offered me the rest of his coffee. I felt a little guilty - he hadn't eaten breakfast yet, but then I grabbed it! I needed the jumpstart and I rationalized it that I was driving.

We had a good day - but he has become a little resistant on schoolwork - he only wants to do Rosetta Stone. I have let this slide a little - but soon, I will have to address it. But in his defense, his English is coming along great. He is talking so well and is trying to communicate now in bigger sentences.

This evening, I took Amanda to Tae Kwon Do and then to Karate (curse her for cross-training)! It was four hours sitting in two different studios. I asked Alex if he wanted to go with me, but he said no - which I was a little surprised at - but happy that he would have a little time away from me. G3 came home and he, G4, and Alex, had dinner and then started on a building project. We have decided that our chickens need an enrichment device in their run to keep them mentally alert (we want smarter eggs :) so G3 showed Alex how to use a saw and build things. When I came home, Alex came running over, busting with a story to tell me. He had gone bike riding earlier before the building project with his new girlfriend (a 16 yo neighbor) and then when they came back, she waylaid him with a water gun and they had a huge water fight with her sister and G4 getting involved. He was so happy - it was great to see him so animated and talking so well.

Currently, G3 and Alex are playing a video game together and competing to see who can kill the most zombies - ugh!!!! But they are having fun and laughing and talking together. So, back to Dad's earlier fit - I think he just needs to be patient and I need to back off my protective, hovering mode. Once Alex has a chance to bond with him like I have, I am sure that he will have a better understanding of everything. I had cast G3 as more of the discipline person, but I started to take some control - I mentioned that he had to tell us when he goes out and that there were times to play loud music that we were fine with and times when people needed to talk that it needs to off. He is such a good kid - he complies with everything(at least for now). Tonight he asked permission to go out - he didn't forget!

Now - one last thing - I walked into Alex's room tonight putting some laundry away while he and G3 were playing video games - and just about died of a stroke. I know my kids are messy - but this took messy to a new level! It was so bad that we had to stop the video game and stage an intervention. He was laughing so hard at my reaction that it was hard to clean up - but we finally got things somewhat under control. I think this is my next thing to work on......