Don't Be Fooled...

by this sweet angel sleeping peacefully in his bed.  It is an act.

I think Jack has developed a scheme to drive me crazy and test me constantly.  He has been very sick, so I have let him get away with being a little devilish lately.  He has taken his plundering and house destruction to a new level.  I am certainly not the disciplinarian around here...one look at tear-filled eyes or a quivering lip and I am a real softy.  Jody has to hold me accountable and he says I am not hard enough on either of the boys.

But lately I feel that all I do is chase Jack while trying to remove some object from his hand that he shouldn't be touching and shouting "No, No, No" until I am blue in the face.  Today he has been beyond mischievous and his Daddy has been on him all day.  I told Jody he still isn't quite up to par and his ears are the reason he is so whiny and down right bratty these days.  Jody doesn't find my excuses amusing and I admit that today he drove me a little mad.  He destroyed our house in a manner never done before.  I am amazed at what this little boy can do in a couple of hours.  He can create eight hours of work for his tired Mama.  As frustrated and overwhelmed as I have been today with this 26 pound wrecking ball, I still found it hard to be too tough on him.  After all, he is still sleep deprived and his ears are still quite sore.  

Well, Jack showed me that he knows exactly what he is doing, sick or not.  Just when you wonder if they truly understand what "No" means and if you are scolding them in vain, your precious little child shows you who's boss. Tonight in the tub Jack continuously stood up and turned the water on.  I told him "No" a hundred times and then added a pop on the leg to my verbal scolding.  And he continued.  And I continued..."No, No, No"...pop, pop, pop.  I shook my head wondering what I did to be so deserving of a house occupied by three ridiculously stubborn men.  Jack decided to add a little humor into my evening and show me a thing or two about discipline.

After numerous warnings and spankings, he continued to play with the spigot.  But now he decided to play the role of "Mommy" too.  He would turn the water on...pause...look at me...and spank his own leg while saying "No, No, No."  Over and over again.  I tried not to let him see me laugh.  That would be like throwing gas on the fire with this boy.  I had to remove him from the tub to get him to stop his mockery of me.  A funny mockery I must admit.  So after a long, long, long day, I still end my day with a smile and a laugh and a promise that even the toughest days around here sure are sweet.