How Glee Got Me Back

so, y'all know how i've been a little off glee lately, right?  the music was still making me happy, but the sue storylines among others were just making me throw up my hands & not even want to watch.  due to the way fox shows play on hulu (they go to the pay part of hulu right away, but the free part doesn't get them for 8 days after they air - i'm just grateful to get to watch TV for free, ya know?), i usually end up forgetting about the show for just long enough that there are 2 or 3 episodes built up for me to watch.  heh.  


anyway, tonight i watched 2 episodes, and they pulled me back in.  what i liked about these episodes (aside from the music, which for me is a given) - the characters seemed much more themselves.  sue wasn't randomly attacking the glee club or will.  (she was being typical sue, but going after kurt's dad as part of her campaign, so w/ a REASON, and it didn't make my skin crawl like her going after the glee club does now.  because, her character should be over that by now.)  when sue's campaign tactics inadvertently hurt santana, she showed genuine remorse.  and oh my heck, when finn gets the glee club together to help santana... tears.  TEARS.  and then again when rachel stuffed the ballot box.  and when santana came out to her abuela... UGH.  


i have such a heart for kids - for anyone, really, kids or adults - who come out to their families.  society pushes them so hard, telling them it's okay & everyone should be okay with it, when the fact of the matter is that it's just NOT okay to everyone.  now, without going round & round about my feelings on homosexuality i will just say this - i don't know with 100% surety what God feels about it, but i do know w/ 100% surety that He wants everyone to be treated w/ love and kindness.  and i do NOT understand how anyone can love someone one minute & completely shut them out the next just from learning one thing about them.  


idk, anyway!  


so after catching up w/ glee, i watched some GH & some OLTL - erin called this afternoon to make sure i would watch GH (i've been slacking a bit).  she filled me in on the robin storyline.  oh. my. heck. seriously, GH writers?  SERIOUSLY?  if they don't figure out a way out of this one, i might just jump ship.  i really don't want to, but if they really kill robin off... it might be unforgivable.  and speaking of unforgivable storylines - todd on OLTL?  was anyone else rooting for him to NOT be evil when he came back?  *sigh*  and i would really like rex & gigi to be together & HAPPY already!  maybe it's cuz i know they are together in real life, but i just want to see them happy on the show!!  


what else?  today was pretty fun!  got to chat w/ my latest crush a bit, altho not enough.  i kinda wanted to just spend the day chatting rather than working, so i had to pull myself away.  so hard to do!  it's been awhile since i've had a GOOD crushing opportunity.  LOL  and yes, it really is just a fun little thing, and when he's gone i'll be sad but not devastated.  it'd be fun to keep in touch, tho... *grin*  *laugh*  


tomorrow i have lots to do, so it'll be uber busy as usual.  *laugh*  then after work i need to get some christmas stuff picked up & THEN it'll be time to hang out w/ trish & watch the last survivor before the finale!  : )  woot!  thursday is leyton's program, friday i have two work christmas parties, saturday i'm hoping to finish up the christmas shopping, and sunday is brunch w/ trish, amy & marcie.  


wow, the rest of the week is BUSY!  glad i had to night to relax.  *laugh*  


hope your day has gone well & that you have a very blessed wednesday!  : ) 


ttfn!

tantrums

WOW.


so, i've been around leyton when he's had tantrums.  many, many times.  but not ever to this degree & not ever when it's just been him & me.  


i know he'd been excited about coming over, because phil called me at 2 & i could hear leyton saying, "tell her to pick me up now, dad!"  : )  if only... but there were a couple ppl coming to the hawkeye at like 3 or something, and jen wanted them to see leyton, so that's why she'd said 3:30 to pick him up.  


i got to the bar about 3:45, and i guess jen & phil were already playing because leyton was outside w/ their friend.  he came running up to the car & was in a seemingly good mood.  i had to stop at WM to pick up a couple things.  he didn't want to go in, and if i hadn't NEEDED to, i would have said okay i can get it another time.  so i bribed him that he could get a $1 toy.  and things started out okay.  he was in a good mood!  i picked up a couple things, then we spent some time in the toy area, he picked out a hot wheels & we were on our way to the milk.  however, i had to stop at the loo.  he was still in a good mood.  then, suddenly, literally out of the blue, the tantrum began.  


it started w/ "i want a movie."  i explained that we couldn't get a movie this time because i didn't have the money.  he went into the normal, "i want my mommy/daddy/gramma/whoever will give in to my demands for a movie" routine.  he stomped his foot & folded his arms & said over & over, "i want a movie!"  pretty normal fare.  then it turned into "i want my mommy," and when i said she was playing volleyball right now & there wasn't anything i could do about that, the full-blown tantrum began.  


at first, i didn't think it would be too bad.  i mean, normally i can distract him out of these things pretty quickly.  this time, tho, he was digging his heels into this tantrum, and there was just no stopping it!  in the middle of the movie area of WM!!  now, i was aware of the ppl around us, certainly.  but i was focused on him and his needs.  i didn't want to be too hard on him, or too lenient because that behavior is so NOT acceptable.  after awhile, i walked away, because he wasn't getting up off the floor in front of the movies, and went around an aisle.  he didn't like that at all.  and he wasn't following.  so i went back, because he said he would come w/ me.  he didn't.  so i walked away again, and he screamed louder.  so i went back & picked him up off the floor & he kicked off his flip flops & i put him in the cart.  then he wouldn't stay seated in the cart, of course, because he's screaming his head off that he doesn't want to be IN the cart, and so he was standing up hanging on to me & trying to get out of the cart.  


i'm trying to wheel the cart over to the flip flops while holding him in the cart & stopping him from climbing out, but not hurting him while trying to protect him.  cuz ya know how sometimes that happens?  and being aware of that, it was just a lot of thinking & yet instinct, if that makes sense!  finally i made it over to the flip flops & got them up into the cart while maintaining a hold on leyton so he wouldn't flip the cart or fall out of it while trying to escape.  


did i mention that all this time he is screaming in my ear that he wants his mommy & doesn't want to stay w/ me?  


eep.  :(


so, he gets his flip flops on & stops screaming long enough for me to tell him he can get out of the cart if he sticks w/ me & keeps up, but as soon as he gets stubborn & doesn't move w/ me, he's going back in the cart.  we at this point are in the book area.  we start walking, and he says he doesn't want to see the fish (which is just him being contrary because he LOVES to see the fish), so we detour around pet supplies.  we're just about to the milk when he decides he does want to ride in the cart after all.  he continues to "cry" and whine and yell about wanting mommy, while i continue to tell him she's playing volleyball & there's nothing i can do about it.  


i call phil.  he, of course, is also playing vb, but will call me back.  i get milk & leyton says he wants some fruit punch, but i tell him i'm not going to buy it if he isn't spending the night because i don't have the money to just have it in my fridge.  phil calls back, leyton talks to him - then is mad that it's not his mom, so phil puts jen on the phone.  then i talk to jen & she says i can go ahead & bring him by the bar.  


so, i don't get the fruit punch, i put the root beer back, and i tell him we're putting the cars back.  he starts another fit.  now, i do not agree w/ giving in to fits.  i don't agree w/ rewarding bad behavior.  but sometimes, sometimes it is just easier to not fight over the 84 cent toy!!  so i told him he can pick ONE car to keep.  he picked the school bus.  which secretly made me happy, but i was also disappointed to have to put the other car back, because it was a fire department race car & really cool!  ah well, maybe when i have money i'll go back & get it.  


anyway.  he was all pouty at the register & the cashier was giving him a lecture about being nice to his aunt.  he was nicer for a little bit.  when we got to the car, i told him how his actions had hurt my feelings & disappointed me, and asked him what was going on.  he was quiet.  but then started in about wanting his mommy again.  so we went to the hawkeye & jen came out & told him that she couldn't take him home right now.  i thought about telling her she could just get in my car & i could take them both home... but i didn't think she would take me up on it, and didn't want her to have to explain to leyton that she was choosing to stay w/ her friends over being w/ him.  one of those friends was there, telling her to stop babying him.  ummm.  


oh, and THEN, the kicker (for me) - jen asked if i had any tylenol.  i said yes, and then she said, oh, give him some when you get home.  he had a fever this morning & he didn't get a nap (which i knew).  


so... he had a fever this morning, but you still took him to the bar all day & didn't give him a nap, AND didn't tell me about the tylenol thing until just now?  thanks.  


*sigh*  that sounds judgy, but i don't really mean it that way.  it's just my opinion that if you know your 4 year old has a fever, you cancel your plans & stay home w/ the kid.  


anyway, so after jen went back in, the tantrum started anew.  "i want my mommy!"  breaking my heart, kid!  and i realized that i don't have any CHILDREN'S tylenol, but that mom might, so we headed to gramma's.  tantrum continued.  "turn off the music!"  to which i replied that i would turn off the music as soon as he stopped whining.  he continued to whine, i continued to listen to music (some really good songs were on, too, which was good because i needed them!  LOL).  we did have some discussion intermixed with the whining... 


when we got to gramma's, he didn't want to get out of the car, so i took the groceries in & gave him a few minutes, thinking he'd come in on his own.  he didn't, so i went out to the car & he was being VERY bratty, so i picked him up & carried him into the house.  kicking & screaming.  he once again lost his flip flops, so i went back out to get them.  when i came into the house, he shouted at me that i should go away & he wanted to be alone, and he ran into phil's room & shut the door.  so i said, "okay," and walked away.  he said, "where are you going, aunt carrie?"  in his normal leyton voice.  i said, "you want me to leave, so i'm going to leave."  and i grabbed my purse & walked out the door.  (obviously i'm not really leaving, folks, put the panic button down.  LOL)  


i had been outside about 30 seconds when he opened the door, crying, and said, "aunt carrie, come back!"  i went back in the house & said, "i thought you wanted me to leave so you could be by yourself."  he said, "no, i don't want to be by myself."  so i sat on the couch & he curled up in the recliner & fell asleep.  i got his blanket from bed & tucked him in.


he took about a 20 minute nap, til the phone woke him up, but it was enough to "reboot" him.  mom got home w/ the tylenol & we ate dinner & watched there goes a train & he shared his sandwich w/ me & his mood was greatly improved.  


he decided he did want to spend the night at my house (*happy dance*) so we left around 8:30 & came home to play in the tub.  he even let me wash his hair, which is always a battle anywhere else.  of course, i don't dump anything over his head when i wash - i put soap on my hands & scrub his hair, then use a wet washcloth to get the soap out.  it seems to work anyway!  *laugh*  we scrubbed his feet & hands, but not his arms because they had a bunch of temp tats that he wanted to keep.  heh.  


we popped popcorn & watched a thomas movie & played w/ my old cell phones.  then, when the movie was over, he ZONKED out on the couch.  i'm not sure if i'll try to move him when i go to bed or not.  if i leave the light on in the guest bath he should be okay out here... i think... hmmm.


SO!  that is my story of the cycle of a 4 year old's tantrum.  *laugh*  i wasn't sure if i was going to share the whole story or not, but decided that you should all see a well-rounded version of leyton, and not just the "always happy" version.  he is mostly happy, but he's also a KID and it's normal to have tantrums.  idk if it's normal to have them quite to the degree of the one today, but since he was both TIRED and not feeling well, i'm giving him some slack.


plus, ya know, i kinda love the kid bunches.  : )  


i'm gonna watch some tdd vs. victor & hit the hay myself.  


ttfn!

hanging out w/ the boys

Today was the boss’s retirement.  Happily, I was not called upon to give a speech about the gift we gave him, because it hit me as I saw his daughter taking pictures of everything – my dad didn’t get to have a retirement party.  I’m so grateful that we had his surprise party for his 60^th birthday.  I’m so grateful that the Lord gave Mom that inspiration – because party planning is so NOT her forte, so it had to be God.  I didn’t really connect that “boss reminds me of a younger dad, boss is retiring, perhaps this will be emotional for me,” until I saw his daughter taking the pictures… I was distracted by the other things, the cruise director things, and then the possibility of speaking in front of everyone.  I was focused on THAT stuff, and not this other emotional stuff. 

 

Huh. 

 

The party was really nice, tho, and I only teared up  a couple times, and I got to talk w/ his wife & daughter & meet some ppl I talk to in email all the time for the business but hadn’t met before.  J  and of course there was cake – carrot cake!  Yay!  that’s my favorite of the offerings – chocolate, vanilla, carrot – carrot!!!  J  He still forgot to bring back my Firefly DVD’s, tho… LOL  good thing I know where he lives!  ;)  

here're some pictures of the basket - i hope the boss likes it!  he likes JD & hawkeye stuff, wine & coffee, and a particular local restaurant.  so, we gave him all that and more!  : )  and yes, that is ELVIS coffee!  woot!  

the rest of the day was pretty much a wash.  i mean, it was productive in the sense of getting things done, but it didn't FEEL like it.  LOL  so when 4:30 came, i booked it outta there.  i thought about stopping at marty's to pick up the kids, but decided to pick up dinner from CFA & Wendy's & have some quiet (haha, i watched The Voice & Burn Notice) time.  : )  baked potato from wendy's and chicken nuggets from CFA.  they're right next door to each other, so it was quite convenient!  and i put my yummy salsa from adolph's on the potato... mmmmm!

i got to chat w/ april while watching my shows, and she was catching up on the voice, too, so that was fun to chat about!  

around 8:15, mom called to say she had to work late & could i go over to marty's to pick up the boys.  LOL  ironic, no?  so i left a little after 8:30 (had to finish BN first!), got the boys, chatted w/ jen & hung out at mom's til about midnight.  it was fun, but the boys were just AT EACH OTHER 3/4 of the time!  and yet - i am going to take them to the botanical gardens tomorrow.  together.  for hours.  in public.  LOL  pray for us!!!  : )  

no, seriously.  please keep them in prayer that they'll get along and not pester each other, and me in prayer that if they DO pester each other, my patience and correct handling of any situation that comes up will come into play.  thanks!!

anyway, we played Sorry! (i won, woot!) & ate cinnamon toast & watched a disney movie about the civil war.  who knew disney had a civil war movie??  we only watched 1/2 so idk how it ends up, but it's about spies from the north infiltrating the south to blow up railways.  leyton got it because it's called Great Locamotive Chase.   heh.  after the popper's penguins thing, i wasn't expecting him to actually sit still for it.  but he DID!  we were snuggling on the couch watching, and he was asking intelligent questions, which i thought was cool.  

okay, dudes, i have gots ta get ta bed!  i hope your friday was a FUN DAY and that everyone is enjoying the weekend.  : )  i enjoyed some OLTL when i got home at 12:30, love love love!  

ttfn!

oh, postcrossings from hawaii & russia today...