April 2, 2010 Screaming Contest

Dear boys,

     So, you are NOT the cutest, most perfect little angel, are you?!!?  I babysat for you Weds night and listened to you both screen for thirty minutes!  Your dad had to go to a class for divorced parents, mandated by the courts so although he's not 100% sure this divorce is happening, he figured out your mom was taking it(not the same nights) and he better, too.  The evening started before your dad left and Noah whacked me in the head with a ball while I was cutting up leftover chicken and broccoli.  I scolded him and he went running into the living room crying, shocked that Auntie Kim spoke to him with such a harsh tone (now he knows what poor Uncle Joe endures daily, ha ha!) Anyway,  I ignored him and he finally came back in to show off on his plastic car.  Weighing the pros and cons of feeding you both before your dad left I decide to try it-I got Noah to sit down and Dylan yelled, "NO!"  So I picked him up and sat him right down on the bench with me.  He got up, I put him back dust as daddy say, "Ok, kids, I got to go to there store!"  Dylan escalated into full scream and after a look of horror on Noah's face, he disappeared under the table and sobbed on the bench.  When he came up for air, he ran into the living room with Dylan and screamed for twenty minutes.  I ignored both of you, yes, I did, and ate my supper on the couch.  Occasionally one would quiet down and then the other would get louder and encourage the first one to join back in.  I finally went over to the window and laid the law down.  (advice from Theresa-Day care Queen Extraordinaire.)  "If you want to keep crying, you'll have to go cry in your beds, not here.  "WAAA!" was the response of course so I picked you both up and put you in bed, fully clothed.  The near death shrieks continued from behind the closed door.  I waited about five minutes, went back in and said, "So who wants to stop crying and come out?"  Dylan signed up immediately.  Noah opted out.  So Dylan and I snuggled on the bean bag chair together while he gasped those post sob gasps and after a couple of minutes I said, "Let's go see if Noah want stop come out!" So in we went. "Noah, want to come out and play with the ball and watch Tom and Jerry?"  He stopped crying and let me pick him up-but as soon as he saw the living room window he remembered why he was so upset and had a relapse.  So back to bed we went, five more minutes.  And finally, I renewed my offer and he completely snapped out of it and got on his car, started riding around, but not without reminding me several times that "Daddy go, daddy go store, Daddy be right back" looking for that reassurance.  I tried to get both to eat-but only Noah nibbled.  Did not like the Chinese lo mean noodles I threw in to spice up the plate.  By then it was 7:00 so they easily let me put their pajamas on and change diapers and we were off to watch Tom and Jerry.  Both boys bring in their little chairs and sit down together in the living room.  It is the cutest dam thing!  Noah was upset and every commercial said "Jerry go?" I couldn't remember how to fast forward the bloody Tivo.  Dylan cracked up at all the the destruction in the video and kept yelling,, "HO! Mess!"  I'm sure he hears Mommy saying that a lot!  Before we went to bed we brushed our teeth.  Dylan pointed out "Daddy's tub."  They are clearly differentiating between the two houses and differing experiences.
     I bought a bunch of tub toys for Easter presents this year, squirt rubber duckies, light up fish and duck, doggy toothbrush holders.  Also chalk eggs and Pez bunny dispensers.  Auntie Susan gave me two paper mache  rabbits to use as baskets.  They are beautiful!