December 19, 2012

Sweet, loving siblings!

(click here for today's pictures)

• The morning started out well-everyone slept til almost 8 except Graham who quietly joined us in bed.  And then I had my shower before Robby left and everything was going splendidly.  And then it all just fell apart...completely fell apart.
• Graham realized that Robby had left without hugging him and started throwing his 30 minute fit.  In Robby's defense, he did tell Graham bye but Graham was too interested in the game he was playing on my phone to look up.  The fit lasted and lasted until his fit was overshadowed by Anderson's fit.
• I decided to make toast for breakfast and explained that toast is what we would have for breakfast.  Could be toast with strawberry jelly, grape jelly, butter, peanut butter or even cheese but toast was all that would be served.  Anderson was flabbergasted that there would be no poptarts at breakfast.  Eventually he came around and decided that toast would be fine.  
• So after I cleaned up the kitchen (already at my wits end), I rounded up the kids.  They were all hiding in my room playing the ipad.  I gave everyone another turn and then it was school time.  But Graham didn't think his turn went on long enough and began his next fit.  I sent him upstairs until he calmed-should have just made him stay in bed for the rest of the morning.  
• We did school and things went fine until Graham did come back down.  It was pretty crappy morning and I know this is the part in the blog where I say "oh, it wasn't that bad" but really today was indeed that bad.  Bad enough that Reagan knew I could handle no more and even cleaned the school room while I was trying to calm/discipline Graham.  Basically, his problem could be characterized by a lack of respect.  When I say something his only answer should be "yes ma'am."  Campbell is quickly picking up his bad habits.  So something is going to change and change quickly.  
• Robby told me that I should have called him.  But really calling him at 10 in the morning wouldn't have helped much.  After hearing my voice on the phone, he would have just put down his work and come home.  Here was my plan that kept me going through the day...remember how Campbell almost was left at church a few weeks ago, my plan was to "accidentally" leave my Grahammer at church tonight.  (Well, I probably wouldn't have really left him but this thought did make me smile quite often)
• After school, we moved Keaton's clothes to my closet which makes so much more sense.  Of course in a few months, her clothes will be shipped upstairs and the new baby's clothes will take her place.  The kids put the laundry in the dryer and helped empty the trash cans in the house.  
• By lunch things had calmed some and we all had lunch.  Oh and yes, since we had eaten bread for breakfast and supper was going to be sandwiches, I made soup for lunch.  My Graham decided that he didn't want the soup which was fine but that was all that was being served.  Of course, when I pulled out the dessert for everyone that had eaten, Graham lost it again.  He did sit and try to eat until he was pretty ugly with me and I took away his food (he wasn't going to eat it anyway).
• Before naps, Reagan put on a concert for me.  She was the guitar girl and lead singer.  And Reagan had set Campbell up as the drummer.  I so wish I would have thought about video taping it.  Campbell had boxes all around her and beat them every so slowly-almost to a beat with her lincoln log sticks.  Keaton sat near me but would stand up to dance and sway to the music.  And when I put the required rock star sunglasses on her, she grinned from ear to eat.  
• I had kept Keaton up from her morning nap which really probably didn't help anyone's  morning.  But at 1, she was ready for bed and that was fine.  I wanted to make sure that she was going to sleep this afternoon so we would all be ready for our afternoon.  And I sure didn't want her to repeat her yesterday afternoon's screaming in lieu of nap bit.  
• Campbell also had her a nap and slept.  She has gotten really good about staying dry during the day.  Enough so that I told Robby that soon we would only have one in diapers.  Just for a few months though.  The others watched a movie and this calmed my G-man down.  After the movie he became his perfect, cute little self again.  
• We went to see Beebee and Papaw this afternoon.  The kids were fine and didn't knock anyone down-a win in my book.  When we made it to church, Reagan noticed that a few people waved at us as we pulled in.  Reagan said "in this car, everyone knows who we are."  Ha, they sure do!
• My crew was all great in church-Reagan finished her review of her book, Anderson said a gob of verses, Graham was perfect each time I saw him in the hallway, Campbell made an ornament and Keaton loves Ms. Patricia.  So it was a pretty good evening.
• Reagan spent the night at Kennedy's house tonight so she didn't ride home with us.  She also missed out on some pretty good sugar cookies here at the house but I think she was going to get a milk shake on the way home.  As we put the crew to bed, Campbell was the first Dennie kid not to get their nighttime star.  Not real sure she understands the whole start concept but it will become clear on doughnut day.  Of course Graham may not quite get it either because he asked if the kids that got all their stars were going to get doughnuts at the doughnut place-I guess he thought it wasn't "doughnuts with Dad" but "watch Dad eat doughnuts."