For Sale

Yesterday was one of those days. A day where we seemed to be teetering on the line of holding it all together. I don't know what to blame it on, the crappy weather, an exhausting end to the previous week followed by a busy weekend, or just plain funk, but something was amiss. Just after lunch Otto had one of the single biggest meltdowns I have ever experienced. By the time I finally got him into the guest room where he could thrash and hopefully not wake up his sister (that didn't work but I tried) and went downstairs I was shaking with adrenaline. I have since purchased a book on raising a "strong willed child" and am making my way through it in no time. I have no desire to go head to head with Otto, or anyone else for that matter, all the time. I would much rather find a way where everyone can feel like they are in control of the situations they need to be and feels good about the general state of things. Clearly being three is hard and when you want to control things, but are still just three and can't control everything you want to it is REALLY hard. But I can see how I need to work more on giving him things he can control and helping him when he can't control things he wants to.

Once I started to calm down I called eric to vent and talk out the situation. There is a message board used for selling things from hairbrushes to houses at school and we always joke when things get rough that they do not have a human trafficking policy like ebay. This is of course just a joke, no matter how much they drive me crazy I still love my kids more than anything.

About 15 minutes after I got off the phone with eric I got this email from him. I made me laugh so hard I had to share it with you. I think this will be especially good to show Otto some day, perhaps when he has children of his own and can really relate. Anyone who has kids has to get to this point.

FOR SALE

One slightly used surly 3-year-old male boy. Speaks English and R2D2. Can be sweet with the appropriate bribery. Likes race cars and soccer/mocker. Incapable of listening or following directions but comes equipped with an infinite supply of questions. May randomly snuggle or scream. Verbally witty and intrigued by lethally dangerous objects and actions. Will eat anything except what is served for dinner. Needs lots of exercise.

Best,
e

And to top it off, last night at dinner after I answered a question Mette asked she came back with, "but why?". Seriously, they are trying to kill me. TWO asking why may be more than one person can handle at a time. If they start answering each others questions that will be great, but so far it hasn't happened yet.