janradder

The Good:
We are walking to the open house for Arie's school. Éiden races along as fast as he can.

"I'm racing! I'm racing, racing, racing! . . . And hugging a tree!"

(And, yes, he did in fact hug a tree. As hard as he could.)

The Bad:
I have left the boys upstairs for their extra reading time. In a few minutes, I will go back up to turn off their lights for the night. As I start the dishes, I hear the stomping of feet running back and forth from Éiden's bed and go up to see why. He is sitting on the floor putting his pajamas back on.

"I had to go to the bathroom," he says.

"Ok." I go to help him pull his pants back up.

"I didn't have extra reading time," Éiden says to me.

"Do you want a little more extra reading time?" I ask.

"But I didn't have any extra reading time."

"Ok. Then have your extra reading time," I say as I get up to leave.

"But I didn't have any extra reading time!"

"Ok. Then have your extra reading time."

I walk down the stairs and hear bellowing from above, "I DIDN'T HAVE ANY EXTRA READING TIME!!!!!"

"Then HAVE IT, for God's sake!" I shout back.

"Okaaaaay."

The Ugly:
I am trying to put Éiden's pajama bottoms on and Éiden is being as helpful as a slug.

"C'mon, Éiden -- would you help me with this?" I snap at him.

"Okay," he says, and then farts.

"Did you hear that? . . . I tooted! . . . . . Do smell it? It smells STINKY!"

He lays on his bed, a big grin on his face.

"Go on," he says. "Hold your nose!"

I look at him and laugh along and though I did not, in fact, hold my nose, I probably should have.