There's two sides to every story

We can look at my past week from two different angles.
Which we will.
Starting with the bad...
so that we can end with the good.

Saturday we had breakfast at McDonald's.
I swear I think I am constantly on a hidden camera show.
This little boy was so strange, he would take off Maddox's hat and then run to the window-- climb the wall like Spider Man and perch up in a window like a gargoyle.
Maddox was looking at us like he had no idea what to do...
but we didn't either.

No one watches their kids in there.

And once the older man came in requesting hugs, Lance made us leave.

Which takes us to our next topic...

Lance slept on the couch Tuesday night.
He has only done that maybe twice in 10 years.
The argument wasn't even that big of a deal-- and I certainly didn't ask him to.
But he can be a jackass.
And this was his night to prove it.

Now on to the children:

Beckham is work.
Every single day...

He's a pretty quiet child... hard to explain, really.
Sometimes he's unreasonably easy.... plays on his own and demands little maintenance.
Other times he's the hardest thing I have ever known.

He is so smart, and understands everything.
Like when I told him that we needed to rest our eyes.
He closed both eyes, then opened one-- seeing that I was watching him, he close it with his hand-- smiled and then fake snored.

I know he has a lot to say in that little noggin-
but he can't.
And that is very frustrating for him.

He learned how to climb out of his crib this week.
Which makes bed time a whole barrel of fun.
I honestly do not know how to approach the issue, because I put him back in there five times last night,  to which he kicked his leg over the rail, and bailed on out... all 5 times.
Finally, at midnight, I woke Lance and they had a come to Jesus talk and he stayed put.

But now it is nap time-- and after 2 attempts, I let him sleep on my bed.

He doesn't even cry when he wakes up in the morning, just stands up and crawls on out... hair all crazy like he owns the place.

He's busy.

He did this while I was blow-drying my hair Monday morning, getting ready to take Maddox to school.
It takes me approximately 5 minutes to blow dry this thin batch of hair.
Five minutes.

Another mom laughed that he was still in the colored on shirt that afternoon when I picked Maddox up, and I told her that I just thought it was safer to let him completely ruin it, rather than risking 2 outfits.

We had friends over on Tuesday and not only did he find another permanent marker and color all over my window seat in my bedroom...
he completely drenched himself with the water hose.
Twice.
And than he bit a little girl, while they were all piled in his crib.

Last night I found him with Lance's back scratcher, dipping it in the toilet and licking the water off.

He's quiet and busy...
so.  damn.  busy.
And such a sneak.

And I can see how much I have aged in the last year when I look at myself in pictures...
And I give him the credit for that.

Maddox made the list too.

He has always said his 'L's as 'W's.
I dropped him off at school Wednesday morning, and I am sure he "wuved" me, like all the days before... and had big hopes of getting to be the "wine weader", like he does every day.
But I picked him up and he told me about every kid's show and tell.
Slowly and carefully articulating the L each word as it was L week and I am guessing they worked on it.
He brought Legos. L-L-L-Legos.
And I may have cried L-L-Little tears.
I hate it.
It was something that kept him tiny to me.
And we rarely video our kids and I don't know that I have any L words on video.
I know it is dumb.
But it smashes my heart to smithereens.

He also dropped a really nasty word at the park today in front of our friends as if it were any other adjective, straight out of a madlibs, he kept talking.
I spanked him and set him in time-out...
but I certainly didn't handle it with class as I yelped and laughed-- out of pure shock.
We talked about it when we got home, but he plopped another one out today.
Immediately this time he covered his mouth and started crying.

I am not sure how to parent this?
We talked and swished with white vinegar  (I didn't know if soap was toxic) and are really hoping this is the last of this...
Parenting is hard.

This nice weather has meant lots of outside play for us.
And a few accidents too.

He face planted into the handle bars of his scooter.  Tore his frenulum and spilled blood every where.
His knees are covered in scabs and his hip has a wound too..

One mom told me that he falls a lot... and cries every time.
Her little boy is seven.
We have 3 years to learn to not to cry after our falls.
Until then, maybe her little boy can learn to not tell me that he doesn't have to mind me when I ask him not to throw things at my dog.

Speaking of dog.
I pulled a gun on him Wednesday night.
Lance went to call coyotes with Blaine and I heard the door chime close to midnight.
When Lance didn't answer my call out to him, and I still heard movement coming towards me, I grabbed the pistol and went searching for my suspect.
Apparently the back door wasn't shut well and Toby had come on in.
Lucky for him, I didn't shoot.

I did, however, start shaking afterwards and decided that at bowl of cereal (at midnight) would cool my nerves.
It didn't...

And apparently my hands were shaking more than I realized.
3 bowls...
broke.

I also took my car to get the screw pulled out and the tire patched on Wednesday.
Should have been free... since we bought the tires at NTB...
but they charged me $20.
Plus $24 to change the oil.

Picked it up, paid my $49, and noticed the screw... still in the tire.

I told Lance that I was going in.
Because in our relationship, I am known as the aggressor...
But I was having to apologize for him when apparently he learned how to get ugly over-night.
They did reimburse the $20... and fixed the screw.
But my hopes is that they actually changed the oil also, as they have lied about rotating our tires before, as well.

My parents and sister are on a cruise.
I am babysitting their dog.
She is sweet and cute and easy...
And doesn't like to be put in the bathroom.
I know because she jacked my trim up around the door trying to chew her way out.

Now for the good news.
And the day by day break down.

We had breakfast together Saturday morning.
Even if it was strange, I enjoy doing that.

We followed it with a trip to Cabela's.
Bought nothing, but we go there a lot and my boys always have fun.

Went to a birthday party and then came home.
I was on call.
I love lazy days.

Sunday was Super Bowl.
We don't go places for things like that.
A. We aren't very cool.
B.  We are homebodies.

But I threw together a mini party for two.
And we had fun.

Some, more than others!

Monday Maddox had school.
B and I cleaned...
Because that's what Mondays all days are made of.

Tuesday we hosted a donut party...
which turned into a pizza party...
and didn't end until 2:30.

We had a great time!

Wednesday we took Maddox to school.
...Our taxes to Arlington
...NTB
...picked up our sign
...Omaha Salvage
...Walmart
...picked up Maddox (who earned 6 sticks again)
...and had a cheap dinner on the patio of OTB.  (half price appetizers)
...Lance let me take a nap
...then we had a camp out on the trampoline.
(which didn't last long)

I love Wednesdays.

I also love this crazy-perfect weather.

And Allegra.

Thursday we had a picnic at the park with our friends.
3 hours of solid play.
And a Slurpee to finish it out.

Today = more cleaning.
And this lovely little piece of art that I won on Facebook!

It's super cute.
And a great reminder.