September 7, 2012
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Grandparents Day
TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM
Today Chewlee’s school celebrated Grandparents Day which is actually on this Sunday. They had snacks of cupcakes, fruit, cake, cheese and crackers plus coffee, sweet tea and some juice (the Beast didn’t try it so he wasn’t sure what kind it was). The kids got juice boxes so they were happy. I asked Chewlee what she had and she said *nothing*. It was just after her lunch time so I guess she was full. I DO know that the Beast said she was really anxious to go to the library (which they did) and she picked up her book she had ordered. It’s an Olivia (the pig on Nick Jr channel). She couldn’t wait to show it to me.
The Beast discovered one of the reasons Chewlee gets in trouble in school. That stubborn streak of hers makes her defy her teacher at times when she decides she wants to do something the teacher objects to. Today she was told she couldn’t put her chair in back of her teacher who was demonstrating (to the visiting grandparents) this special touch screen (the Beast said it was HUGE) that is tied in with the computer. Chewlee decided she wanted to sit right in back of the teacher that was demonstrating it. The teacher told her to go sit in HER chair. Chewlee went and got her chair and moved it in back of the teacher (she DID have HER chair, right?). The teacher then told her to put her chair back in place so Chewlee moved it back in place then took another chair and moved it in back of the teacher…again!
The Beast thinks the only reason she got her smiley face today was because it was Grandparents Day and HE was there in the classroom. THEN, when they were leaving to come home, Chewlee ran ahead of him and out into the parking lot. When he got out there, she was wandering around. He called her and told her that she needed to stay there and wait for him. She had to go with him to our car. That was when she made her first mistake. She looked at him and boldly declared, *I am big enough now to go by myself and find the car. I don’t need to wait for anyone.* That was her first smack on the ass from Grandpa.
When they got in the car, she started singing, loudly. Not to the radio but just singing very loud and very out of tune. The Beast told her she couldn’t sing while he was driving. She told him she WANTED to sing and kept it up. Second mistake. She got smacked once again (on the leg this time since they WERE in the car, driving). She made an ugly face but she stopped singing. The Beast gave her two seconds to stop making the ugly face (a defiant one….I’ve seen it) and she was smart this time and stopped.
She wasn’t like that to me at all when she got here. But, like I said before, I have a different way of handling her and giving her the reasons for acting in the best and safest way. I DID find out today that she gets very upset if she thinks I am mad at her or upset with her for some reason. At least she tells me when that is how she is feeling. It helps to keep communication open with her. Many times she thinks I might be upset with her when I’m not. I usually get upset, tell her WHY I am and then it’s over. Most of the time she will tell me she is sorry and give me a hug or I give her one. The Beast got upset with me because he thought I had called her in the house and she was taking her time. I told him, *I only told her to put her bike away (which she was doing). I didn’t tell her she had to come in the house or why.* That’s when I turned to her and told her it was time for her to take her bath. She was mumbling something about not liking Papa THAT way (meaning when he was angry and harsh) and I thought he might have smacked her except that I was between them. I pretended that I hadn’t heard her right and thought she was just making sure HE didn’t come into the bathroom and see her. She’s always worried about anyone seeing her naked so I think the Beast just thought my hearing is going.
I knew by her behavior that she was tired so I tried to get her to take a nap by laying down on the floor with her and sharing a pillow, of course. She always wants to share a pillow with me. However, she was a *chatty Cathy* and wouldn’t stop talking. I was patient but, after an hour, I gave up and we both got up. She will sleep for the Princess tonight, I’m sure.
The Princess got off work earlier than she thought probably because she wasn’t originally scheduled to work a double shift today. So she showed up about an hour or so earlier than normal. After telling Chewlee how happy she was over the happy face she got today and Chewlee giving her a special Grandparents Day present (she made TWO….one for us and one for her), they finally left. She’ll be here tomorrow although I’m not sure if her mother works a double or just the night shift. I do know she said she won’t be working on Saturdays soon so I’ll have my two days off back again.
The Beast and I have back-to-back doctor’s appointments on Monday. His is at 9am at the ophthalmologist’s and my appointment is at 10am for the retina doctor’s. His is really just a post/pre-operative checkup before his other eye gets the cataract removed. Mine is kind of the same thing except he wants to talk to me about what will be needed to correct the eye that had the retinal laser treatment. I’m just grateful that the doctor’s offices are so close so there shouldn’t be a problem with us both getting to our appointments on time. When we realized our appointments were on the same day, we laughed because it’s such an *old people’s* problem, isn’t it?
Love you all. Hope you have a fantastic weekend.
