So it turns out that pockets of quiet are becoming more possible in the evenings! YAY!
If there’s anything I miss about blogging, it’s figuring out how I really feel about life. Would you believe that after writing such a raw post about my father’s abandonment, the thing that got me most wound up was the part about my brother? I had no idea I was angry until I was literally typing it out, all twitchy, trying not to shake. I love my Joey. Actually, I love my Shmoey Oey Joey. That’s what I call him.
Speaking of rage, let’s talk about Shepherd. Lord help me, this child! Listen. I utterly adore my boy; but sometimes, errrr… almost always, he’s so MEAN! It’s got to be that he’s choosing not to use words. I know they’re in there and from time to time he’ll repeat us if we tell him to say something. But most of the time, to express displeasure or loss of interest, we’re looking at this child hitting things/people or throwing things (I’m sure he’d also throw people if he could).
Let me put it this way: I am NEVER going out to eat with my family again until Shepherd gets out of this phase! Last Friday, my back was all achy and I just wasn’t in the mood to cook after work. Being that it was payday and I had a hankering for seafood, I convinced Brian that we should all go to Red Lobster. (Brian’s not hard to sway. A mere suggestion and he’s on board!) During the first twenty seconds, when Shepherd was looking at lobsters in a tank, we were fine.
It was all downhill from there.
By the time we were finished and packing up our circus, I swear there was just as much food UNDER the table as there was on top of it. There was screaming, crying, throwing, hitting, standing on the table… Brian and I traded seats at one point (as if that could help anything). I decided against ordering a much desired drink from the bar as Shepherd would have just A) screamed for it himself and/or B) knocked it across the table. This was very sober misery. And, oh yeah, I couldn’t even be anonymous in my shame and humiliation because one of my sweet salon clients was waiting on me!
If you don’t see much of the Spears this winter, we are hibernating and trying to give you a chance to enjoy your night out in peace.
Please tell me you had mean babies who turned out to be lovely adults! Tell me this will change when we have more words, or time, or maturity!
Oh my. What a stinker!
Tyler was like that. Second child syndrome. We broke him of this behavior by one of us taking him to the car and sitting with him until he would behave. We took turns because he kept acting up when brought back inside. It was a misrable dinner for everyone but Jared. (Jared got desert for being so good) Tyler went to bed kind of hungry that night. Yes made for a long night with him crying himself to sleep. Went out to eat the next night and only had to go to the car once. The third night was the charm. We ate out 4 times that week with Tyler able to get desert on the 4th. It solved the problem. Costly at first but, in the long run worth it.
Hang in there. They all have bad periods whether it be at one or five or teenage years. They all grow up to be wonderful adults especially with parents as patient and loving as you and Brian.