Yesterday was one of those days when I was on edge all day. I have new grey hairs from yesterday.
I woke up with a sinus headache that lasted most of the day. I can’t wear the Breathe Right strips, much as I love them. Anything that keeps my nose open all night causes a severe headache the next day.
Getting Michael out of bed and off to school yesterday was WORSE than trying to nail jello to a wall. I’ll take jello any day, a nice cherry jello, thank you. Michael complained incessantly yesterday about his teeth hurting. He about drove Mother and me crazy. He kept grabbing his lip and pulling it back to show me terrible places, boo boos from hell, and waaaaaaaaah “I don’t WANT these braces!” Oh my lord. It was like I had tortured him, he claimed. He was worse than a 3 year old. Of course, in the orthodontist office he was cool as a cucumber, and they praised him lavishly for being a good patient. He saves the angst for home.
After the terrible struggle to make him eat breakfast and leave yesterday, I finally just lost patience when we were in the car in front of his school, after he said how much he didn’t like the school clinic.
“Michael, I am NOT picking you up from school today, no matter what! You need to just tough it out, boy! You’re acting like a baby!” I snarled. Then I gave him two Motrin and a kiss, and sent him inside. “Love you! Have a good day!” I called out, as always.
I think it’s good for a boy to be raised by a mama who has wild mood swings. Gets him ready for later life when he’s married.
Michael had to return to the orthodontist to get his braces fixed yesterday afternoon, and there was magic in the air. The technician who fixed them told him his mouth would be sore for a day or two, then he would be fine. Exactly the same thing Mother and I had been telling him, but did he believe us?! No. We weren’t wearing a uniform and handing out mouth rinse. What do we know?
I found out last night that Michael was warned yesterday by the assistant principal that if he was late one more time he would get after-school detention. THANK YOU!!! I should send that lady a gift card. Michael actually got out of bed without me having to scream, sing, or cry. We left the house on time. He listened to her. I had been warning him about being late, but what do I know?!
Mama or Grandmama can say something all day and the kids just stare at us. Let someone at school say it, and it becomes The Holy Word. I think when someone that’s not family says it, there’s a sense of awe, because it’s proof we’re not just making this stuff up to bug them.
My mother got really ticked with my dad years ago, because she would tell him things at home, and he would ignore her. If someone at work told him the same thing, he would come home and say “Hey, guess what Jim at work said!” – and tell her the same thing she had been telling him for months.
She got her revenge by hiding his remote control.
My mother refuses to call herself a feminist, but she always ruled the roost.
I ordered Michael a handheld electronic game that’s supposed to be a math tutorial type deal. It’s called Math Shark - isn't that cute?! I don't care if it's called Math Suppository, as long as it works. I just hope and pray it will intrigue him enough so he will work on his multiplication tables. I’ve tried everything in the world to get him to learn them – bribes, punishments, videos, etc. He still doesn’t know them all. He cannot do math in his head, either. I stink at math, but I can do it in my head very quickly, at least basic stuff. I never took higher math like calculus, or even Algebra II, but he will likely need to do some higher math by the time he gets to high school, and I’ve got to get him a good foundation in the basics.
We are getting more rain. We desperately need it, but I’m already sick of it after only one day…
UPDATE
When I got home tonight [Wed.] Michael had been good all afternoon, and his complaints about the braces had dwindled to practically nil. He is also being cooperative about brushing his teeth diligently. YAY!
Patty, thanks for your comment. Michael started putting the wax on the braces on Tuesday, and is using the funky toothbrushes and everything. We have an entire small box of braces rinses, brushes, etc.
