The good always comes with the bad. The highs with the lows. Tiny blips on the radar of life, or monumental moments in history. Sometimes they happen in waves spaced apart over years, months or weeks. Sometimes they happen within moments of each other. Yesterday was one of those 'within moments of each other' times.
The high? When my W offered to buy Elaine and I frozen custard from our favorite place. He's been offering to pay for anything and everything lately. "Do you want to order pizza? I can pay." "Can I buy the family a movie for Easter?" "I'd like to save my money to buy dad and I really great seats to a Cardinals game." Kids should save their money to splurge on themselves. But Warren insists that he wants to treat us to something, anything. I finally consented to dessert. "It's nice to buy things for people we love mom, you know that!" Beaming with pride, he ordered for all three of us, and asked me if it was okay that we got larger sizes than normal. He wasn't embarassed to be with us. He sat on the bench and waited with Elaine while I waited for my concrete. He waved me over when I finally had it in my hand. People...he. waved. me. over. He called attention to himself and me! I mean he pratically shouted to everyone there, "THAT'S MY MOM, PEOPLE!" Giddy, I was instantly filled the pride of doing at least one thing right on this parenting journey. He can be a good kid. Ahh, there's hope for my future yet!
Returning home, we proceeded with our evening. Showers, reading, teeth brushing etc. Refilling Elaine's humidifier, I was chatting away with Warren when I saw it. The inmistakeable pee stain on her fitted sheet. For reals? This again? Asking her about it, she feigned innocence. "I don't remember peeing in my bed recently." You don't say... well this giant yellow stained area that reeks, begs to differ. Mike searched for the wet pajamas, and Elaine stuck to her story. She didn't remember doing that, didn't wake up with wet pj's.
Now you and I both know that the girl is lying. But for a moment, for one brief moment, I thought perhaps it had happened while sleeping and battling this cold she has. She is a sound sleeper. I have been medicating her to help her sleep. I mean this darn cough won't go away. As I said it out loud, I just knew it wasn't true. Mike pressed her for more info. She held strong. We talked about the importance of telling the truth and how you get in more trouble for lying than you do for being honest about your mistake.
Finally, she balked. She boo-hoo'd through the whole story of how she's afraid of monsters and the nightlights and flashlight arent enough and she's a sound sleeper and she knew she did it but thought we wouldn't love her anymore and we wouldn't like her and boo hoo hoo. People, this might pull at your heart strings, but do not be fooled. DO NOT BE FOOLED (she mumbles while pumping fist in the air to no one in particular). I have told that wee one that we will love her no matter what at least a bajillion times. I've told her that I will like her even if I don't like the decisions she makes.
So I called her on it. Her justified lie. Her BS, but I didn't say BS because she'll totally repeat it and then her teacher will get mad at me - Hi Mrs. Quirke! "You know very well that your dad and I love you no matter what. There is no excuse for lying to us. Lying has consequences." She thought on that for less than a minute before asking, "but why consequences for me? I was just scared to tell you." Yeah, see? Scared of getting in trouble. I know, I'm heartless. My girl wears her heart on her sleeve, which makes her lovable and squeezable and squishable and beautiful - inside and out. However, she is also learning the subtle art of manipulation quite well. I mean if you ask her, she's still some little baby who's too young to be held to the same standards as Warren. Ugh, it's exhausting.
A pretty darn good high, and a blip of a low. All in a day's work, right?
PS - Happy Birthday to my twin niece and nephew Harper and Colton! They are ONE today. ONE! We get to see them this weekend at their birthday celebration. Hooray! Let's see if I can ruin them while I'm there. I'm sure I can figure out some way!
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