If they don't change the forecast (that's a big IF), then we will be having some beautiful weather for the next week. Today was around 65 degrees and windy. The boys and I enjoyed some outside time. Unfortunately, the mornings are still pretty chilly so they are not getting as much time outside as they would like. They really love being outside these days and are always asking to go out, however Nick does not tolerate cold very well at all.
Yesterday morning it was cold and I was feeling a bit restless, like we really needed to get out and go do something. So we went to Bike, Balls, You at a community center at one of our local parks. We were basically in a basket ball court / gym. They had tons of balls of all different sizes and lots of other fun things for kids to play with / on. Lots of people showed up and most people brought tricycles or bikes with training wheels or some other type of ride-on toy. The boys each took their tricycles but it is pretty much a free for all, where everyone rides everyone else's ride-on-toy. The boys had a blast and they want to go back again sometime. It costs fifty cents per child. Gotta love that.
As we were on our way home, we passed a McDonald's with a really great play area. The boys had never played there. I didn't know it was a great play area. I just knew they had one and I was not quite ready to head home, as it was only 11:00am so we stopped at McDonald's (aka "the yucky place" :) and the boys had more play time. The play structure was very tall and had two nice slides coming off of it. I was not sure the boys would climb that high and they were a bit hesitant at first but it didn't take very long before they were both climbing all over the place and sliding down from the top. After they played for 30 minutes or so, we had a bite to eat, they played for another 15 or 20 minutes and then we headed home.
I payed dearly for all of this play time. It was too much for Nick. He started melting down over something, I think after we got home, and there was no coming back from it until he finally fell asleep at nap time. It was one miserable experience and I won't be over-doing it like that again any time soon. I have learned my lesson.
When he gets overly tired, there is just no pleasing him. For example, he was in his bed and still crying. I was giving Ben a hug and kiss before nap and Nick was saying (while crying) that he did not want a hug and kiss. He said it over and over and was pretty forceful about it so I said OK and I sat in my chair. Then his crying / fit escalated and he was asking for a hug and a kiss.
I have been through this with him before and it is absolutely a no win situation. If I get up to give him a hug and kiss, he will immediately change back to "NO!" "I no want a hug and kiss!" and then when I sit back down, he starts crying for a hug and kiss again. So this time, I just stayed in my chair and ignored him for a while. At some point, I had to get up for something for him (can't remember what it was) and I went to give him a hug and kiss and he started in on the "NO!" business so I gave him one anyway because I knew he would cry for one again after I sat down. After I sat down, he started in on "I want to hold you" (meaning he wants me to hold him) and, yes, if I got up to hold him he would say "NO!"....
So that is an example of how he gets when he is overly tired and that is why he is still taking a nap. Before we made it up to the room, he was doing the same thing about using the potty. He didn't want to sit on the potty. So I said fine and started to help him put on his pull up. Then he wanted to sit on the potty (and didn't want me to help him with his pull up)....and back and forth it goes and he is crying the whole time. This happens about everything. When he gets like this, there is really no way to please him. The only thing I can do is to get him into his bed as quickly as possible and then I have to ignore him until he stops and finally goes to sleep.
What I was going to write about today though was that these two little guys are fighting about EVERYTHING right now. It is getting to the point that it is driving me batty at times. They pick fights with each other all the time and I'm not sure how to stop it. Here are some examples:
- Ben is on the tower (that thing we have in the kitchen so they can be up at the counter; kind of like standing in a chair but safer) and Nick asks Ben if he can get up too. (Note that Nick knows that he can get up and does not have to ask permission from Ben and he also knows that, since he asked, Ben will most definitely say no.) Ben says no and tries to keep Nick from getting up. Big fight breaks out (mommy! He won't let me....), along with each pushing the other too, possibly.
- Nick is in the bathroom and Ben needs to go to. We are ALWAYS in the bathroom together, all three of us, so this is a perfectly normal situation. But on this occasion, Ben says "can I come in too Nick?". Now, make no mistake about it, Ben knows he does not have to ask and he knows very well that Nick will say no, which is of course exactly what happens and Ben starts whining "mommy! He won't let me....).
- The three of us were in the garage today and Ben pointed at the attic door and asked me if that is the attic. I said it was and he said that he would like to go in the attic when he gets bigger. Nick says he wants to go when he gets bigger too. Then Nick says he will also need to take a flashlight so Ben says that he will need a flashlight too. (this may have been a question; can't remember) Nick says no to Ben about the flashlight and another argument breaks out.
And then of course there is the normal fighting over toys that I have that you want and that you have that I want and those that are blue and all that.
Is this enough to make someone nuts?? I have had several people tell me that it is just their age. I need to pray about this but, in the meantime, if you have experienced this and have some thoughts to share, I am open to hearing them. I know my problem is that I need to spend more time praying and less time watching / reading news.
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