Category Archives: Mommy Madness

This is the place I’m posting the raw truth. The good, the bad, and the hilarious tales of my experience as a stay-at-home-mom.

But I Mean It…

   Is it wrong that this morning I told my child that if he didn’t use his lips (chew with his mouth closed) I would stop feeding him? Is it more wrong that I freakin meant it? You know, I don’t even care how wrong it may have been because I think he believed me and that’s all that really matters. ;)

   I do love to make idle threats, it seems. I mean, not on any real matters threatening legitimate consequence, but I like to mix it up a bit with extreme yet possible punishments. Here are a few, just to give you an idea of what we’re about around here. I’ve also told him

  •  (just as my mother told me) that I’d rip his arms and legs off and beat him with them.
  • Once there was a plant shaped as some kind of animal. My husband and I told Cole it was a reindeer and if he didn’t sniff his butt, Santa would not come this year. lol. We got that on video.
  • If he didn’t stop scratching (he has eczema and scratches unconsciously sometimes), I’d cut his hands off. 
  • If he didn’t quiet down, I’d debark him.

The list goes on and on… but I’ve never meant one of them more than I meant it this morning. If he can’t chew with his yap shut, he’ll either have to start eating outside or stop eating, period. I can’t handle that at all. I know I’m neurotic. I’m okay with it.

It Was Just A Little Bomb

For Christmas a couple years ago, my husband had a new stereo installed in my car. It has a DVD player and navigation and blue tooth and the whole shebang.

I love it.

So does The Cole.

In fact, he thinks it’s his and that he’s in charge of it and all that gets played on it.

One day, not long ago, when I picked him up from school, I forgot the change the video back to a kid friendly before hand. Instead, was an episode of Burn Notice, a personal favorite of mine. Now normally, I’d shut it off immediately and redirect his attention, etc. But for one, we literally live about 4 minutes (including school traffic) from his school. Secondly, Burn Notice is actually not too bad, really. They don’t cuss, there are no gory disgusting close up deaths of any kind… they pretty much do kung fu on each other (that’s how Cole will see it, anyway) and he already sees that when he watches 3 Ninja’s. Granted, I would not make a habit of him watching this show, but I figured this one, short time would be alright.

I couldn’t tell you exactly what happened in the 4 minutes of show he watched with me because I was too busy focusing on my finger next to the stop button ready to push immediately upon any blood… or talk of blood… or anything closely related. Well, I couldn’t have told you before yesterday.

Cole was playing in his dirt in the backyard (his favorite thing to do – ever) and there are some parts of random things back there in a section of the yard I call the useless crap section, that he enjoys making use of from time to time. He builds things like super fast race cars and sometimes cooks sushi (or gushi, if he tells it) for me if I’m hungry. Yesterday, however, he was building a bomb. Why do you ask? Because “Michael Weston makes bombs”.

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Mother of the Year, once again.

Crap.

Lesson learned. Nothing but Disney or Pixar in the car ever again whether he’s in it or not. Too risky. My bad.

Pre-K Grad Day

Do I really need to say anything? Is it just me or should I be making millions off my son’s good looks? Time to go to work, boy!

On our way to graduation

Holy Hell, Batman

Can someone please explain to me why McDonald’s Happy Meal toys are so effin special?

Cole will have his new hand-held video game thing on one side of him and like … a puppy or something as equally awesome on the other side of him, and he will choose to play with the stupid Batman figurine that doesn’t even move by itself that he got in his Happy Meal  a couple of weeks ago.

Friday is “share day” at school. He gets to choose one toy from his millions to show off to his class. He used to pick a different Matchbox car every week and then he’d hide an extra one in his pocket. He thought I didn’t know. He’d have this little grin on his face and when I’d ask him what he was smiling about, he’d giggle a little and say “nothing, Mama”.

Anyway, he picks cooler toys now that he’s an official pre-schooler, and in the oldest group of kids at his school. He took his robot he got for Christmas from my aunt one week. It shoots foam discs and has a remote control. That was a big hit. Another day, he took the walking dragon he got from his Grandparents. That was a huge success. The kids crowded around him as soon as he walked in the classroom to watch as he gave a demonstration. He was the coolest kid in school that day.

Last Friday, he wanted to take the Batman figurine that doesn’t even move by itself. Sadly, one of the requirements for sharing on share day is that he turn in his completed homework packet. We finished the majority of it throughout the week, but there was just one page left to finish that morning before we left for school. He refused to finish it. He was not having any part of it. He literally put the pencil down on the table, crossed his arms, looked away, and said, “hmmpphh” with the attitude only a 4 year old could pull off (without getting his ass kicked).

He finished getting ready for school (with quite a push from me) and as we were walking out the door, he turned to run back in the house to pick a toy to take. I already told him he wouldn’t get to take one if he didn’t finish his homework but apparently he thought I was joking or something. Upon reminding him of the rule I had to stand by at this point, he quickly burst into tears and sobs and slobbers and snot bubbles. I drove him to school just like that – not even acknowledging his fit in hopes that negative reinforcement may be the trick in this particular situation.

It was not.

There was a scene at the school I won’t even get into because I’ve never actually had a worse morning with that kid. I honestly was at the very end of my rope. I’m so glad I was in public or I may have had a mental breakdown right there in front of the place.

His favorite teacher came out to help me distract him from his horrible reality and I kissed his cheek as he pushed me away to walk with her to his classroom. Of course, I was in tears on the way back to my car. I knew I had done the right thing… but it was so hard to see him that upset.

I returned home to find Dexter, my pit bull, gnawing on the remains of Cole’s Batman figurine. I spent hours that day searching for a McDonald’s who had that specific character available. No such luck.

I’ve been cleverly redirecting his attention ever since when he asked about Batman. Until this morning, when he found a piece of the Batman’s wing under my bed.

I am in for a fun day.

Time Is NOT On My Side

The Stones can suck it. They lied, and I bought it.

Time management is not one of my strong suits. This much I know. I feel so overwhelmed lately and am crazy busy doing one thing or another all the time. THEN, I think over my day at the end of it and wonder what the hell I accomplished. It seems like close to nothing some days. Frustrating.

My house is still a disaster from Christmas. Seriously.

My husband is not thrilled with this fact and to be honest, neither am I. It takes a lot to really get to me in regards to house cleanliness. But with Christmas and all that entails, a New Year’s Eve sleepover for my son and his best friend (OHMYGOD did they make a disaster out of his room and all surrounding areas), the drama in my life as of late, and the softball league I run having its Opening Day in just over a week from now – and I just got named the President of the Orange County league for next season as well – with all this, I’m pooped.

And no one better tell Cole I said “pooped” because he’ll giggle hysterically and follow me around saying “pooped” for the next 2 days.

Boys.

Pulling Out All the Stops

We went and got a Christmas tree yesterday.

We are running a little behind this year. Whatever.

My husband asked that I get a little tree due to the limited amount of space we actually have for the tree. I planned on doing just that, but seeing as how it’s like 5 days until Christmas and all, our options were limited. I could have gotten the small one, but for some reason it was double the cost of the 7 ft. one I ended up choosing. For this tree to fit in the car, Cole was forced to move his back seat driver’s seat to the co-pilot chair in which he’s always dreamed of sitting.

What a fucking nightmare.

I can handle a guest DJ, if I must. I can even manage to fake a smile while the A/C and heater are turned on, off, back, and forth. But when he decided to attempt to throw the car in reverse (or park, I can’t be sure which) as I’m driving? I got a little irritated. Now, I don’t know this can even actually be done. I’ve never really tried. But because I don’t know if it can be done, I assume it can be done. I also assume the transmission can literally fall out from underneath the car. I’ve heard stories. I don’t know they’re not true.

After I told The Cole what could happen if he did that again, I assumed he would be as apprehensive as I was. Not actually the case, it turned out. But when I told The Cole what would most definitely happen if I saw him even reach for the shifter again, he apparently decided it wasn’t worth it after all. So off to the store for the next step of Christmas.

We don’t have any ornaments since last year’s tree was fake and had lights built in it. Also because I am NOT the Christmasy type and while I was willing to put on a show for the kid, I wasn’t willing to do any extra crap since he was barely 3 years old and couldn’t really appreciate it. So, like I said, no ornaments. That meant we obviously needed to purchase ornaments as well. And let’s not forget about the tinsel and the gaudy beaded necklace looking thingies.

Those of you who love the gaudy beaded necklace thingies – please don’t be offended. Anything can be nice in moderation. My Cole does not understand moderation just yet. This is Cole’s tree. There will be a massive amount of beaded necklace thingies and tons of tinsel.

I especially love the way tinsel falls to pieces all over my floor if I do so much as walk by it.

I’m getting distracted from my point by my Christmas spirit.

I can only think of 2 other instances that the kid was this ridiculously rowdy and disobedient in a store before now. Both times his behavior resulted in us leaving the store, his crying, and my hair being pulled out by the root. By me. Ohmygod. This kid was horrible. He was the kid I’m usually walking by thanking God that my kid doesn’t act like. He was the “but Mommy….” kid. The kid who felt the need to literally run up and down aisles full of customers just trying to purchase their Christmas crap all late and shit, like I was. He was the “but I want it…” kid. With the whiny fuckin voice. You know what I’m talking about. And as a result, I was the Mom who repeated the same threats repeatedly and apologized to the lady whose foot fell victim to my child’s insanity.

It was ridiculous.

I wanted to cancel Christmas.

So I did.

I called Santa Claus right there in the middle of the store and told him Cole didn’t want any presents this year. No real saw. No real wood. Nothing at all. I told him to go ahead and make the switch on his lists and to not bother coming to our place later this week unless he was just interested in eating some cookies and milk. It’s not his fault Cole can’t behave. I’m not going to slight him on his cookies.

I won’t get into the details of Cole’s response, as I prefer you don’t feel sorry for the kid who just put me through hell. It would suffice to say that he had a meltdown of the extreme kind. Even I almost felt bad. And I was there 5 minutes prior when he was such a little snot.

Until, Cole stopped abruptly in the middle of a sob and asked to use my phone. I, of course, let him have it. He plays off my guilt often. He punched some numbers and waited for Santa to answer before telling him that he was sorry and that he really wants real wood and a real saw. He waited a sufficient amount of time for Santa to respond. He nodded as though he understood what Santa was saying to him and could see the error of his ways. He said, “okay”, and ended the call, then handed my phone back to me. He looked at me with the biggest blue eyes with traces of tears and said, “I’m sorry, Mommy”.

I told him it was too bad he didn’t think of that before he acted like such a

No, I’m kidding. I fell for his little con act and picked him up for a hug. When I put him back down he ran down the aisle so he could show me the toy he really, really wanted and got pissed when I told him we couldn’t buy it.

Fucking perfect.

 

Don’t Forget What Santa Claus Said…

I am not a fan of shopping. I am not a fan of Christmas. For all of you logic buffs out there, this means I am not a fan of Christmas shopping.

I wanted to get it all knocked out in one day. That day was yesterday. I did purchase most the things on my list, but I also find myself getting pretty cheap on some of the extended  family gifts. This is mostly because I am waiting to buy Cole’s gifts until last. I figure once I’m finished with everyone else, I can just spend the rest of the allotted Christmas money on the kid. He’s so fun to buy for, you know? Oh, and while it’s usually extremely difficult to buy for my husband because he just buys whatever he wants when he wants it throughout the year (including just weeks before Christmas( ), I found him a gift for which I’ve been looking for months now. And I’m way excited about it. I cannot spill the beans here because he sometimes visits this place and I wouldn’t want to ruin the awesome surprise.

Anyway, I’m about to go shopping again. I need to find “real wood and a real saw” since Santa promised it to The Cole, provided Cole acts right. You can see what I’m talking about by clicking here: Portable North Pole. From Santa to Cole

I highly suggest this service to any parent of a child who is still into Santa Claus. It’s the best bribery tool I’ve used in quite some time.

I Am My Mother

How many times have you caught yourself saying the same thing to your kid that your mother said to you?

The thing you swore you would never say to your children when you had them.

The word or phrase or lecture you dreaded to hear when you were about to walk through the door after a late night.

The words you would repeat in a mocking tone as you walked away from her.

I consider my situation to be unique in the sense that there weren’t a couple little things my mom often said that got on my nerves. Instead, there were just a couple of things that didn’t.

There was no “tisk tisk tisk” with the finger shaking back and forth coming from this woman. There were no idle threats of “telling my father” when he returned home from work. None of that crap was happening at my house, growing up. What was happening usually consisted of my mother bitching endlessly about all kinds of shit I didn’t care about. She always had this stick up her ass and nothing was ever good enough. Worse, she bitched about the same things over and over again – then she’d bitch about having to bitch about the same things over and over again.

What the hell, right? Like I was asking her to say the same shit 400 times.

Looking back, I guess I can see that it may have had something to do with the fact that I did not do whateverthefuck it was she was asking me to do while she was bitching. That could have been because I stopped listening when she started ranting, or maybe because I was so busy thinking about how I would respond to actually hear the desperation in her voice when she pleaded with me to just do the simple things she asked me to do.

I told you 4 days ago to put your shoes in your room!

Yeah, maybe. But I wore them the last 4 days, so technically I at least got them out of the living room for the majority of the day. Can’t you ever see the good things I do?

If you’d just do the damn dishes every night, you wouldn’t have this pile up at the end of the week!

Sure, but then I’d miss Beverly Hills, 90210 and Melrose Place. Not to mention the absolutely necessary 3 hour phone call with my best friend even though we just spent all day at school together.Why are you so worried about what I do? Don’t you have enough to worry about in your own life? Jeez, Mom.

I’m not going to tell you again!

Prove it.

I am so sick of repeating myself, I could scream!

That’s pretty obvious, Mom. And for the record? I’m sick of hearing you repeat yourself, too. Just do us both a favor and stop already.

But now, with a defiant child of my very own, I can understand the torment and frustration my mother felt during those times. I can honestly say that I feel sorry for what she had to go through with us kids. She always felt like the “bad guy”, but the truth is that we forced her to play that role. My boy does the same thing to me on a daily basis. And I hate it. I’d much rather he did what I asked him to do the first time I said it so I didn’t have to punish him or get on to him with the “scary voice” it takes for him to actually hear me.

I’m so sick of repeating myself I could scream!

I absolutely refuse to tell him to do the simple things I need him to do again!

He’s walking a fine line and I’m guarding the border.

He has to listen because I’m the mom and I said so.

I will give him something to cry about.

And it will hurt me more than it hurts him.

The Sewer: More Than Bullshit

To Do:

  • Wake up to a call from my father asking to borrow money. Apparently he and my grandmother (who has a touch of the Alzheimer’s) are flat broke and without food.
  • Book a flight to Texas to go see what the fuck is really going on over there. That is beyond bullshit.
  • Contact several friends in Ft. Worth and request their surveillance services until I get there.
  • Listen to the jack hammer have a cow while the guys dig up the majority of my front yard in search of the sewer line that has apparently clogged and busted underneath our house.
  • Take a “bird bath” (also known to non-inmates as a sponge bath) since I cannot utilize the water draining feature in my house.
  • Explain to Cole that he cannot wear his goddamn Buzz Lightyear shirt today because Mommy couldn’t wash it. He will also have to deal with the traumatic experience of using the orange bowl, as opposed to his favorite pink one. Oh, and the Transformer spoon is also dirty, so the Mickey Mouse spoon that is so last month will have to be good enough.
  • Wire my Dad $100 with every possible thing that could go awry, go awry. I could not verify, to an acceptable certainty, that I was myself. Western Union was not buying my bullshit that I was me. They weren’t having it. What they were doing was politely telling me to fuck myself. I DO NOT believe that their pathetic apology for being inconvenient was heartfelt or genuine.
  • Be a graceful hostess to the men leaving dirt all over my floors as they walk through the house. Of course, when I say “graceful”, I pretty much mean that I toss them a beer every now and then. But still.
  • Keep the kid from annoying the crap out of these men while they work. And also stay out-of-the-way so they don’t have to worry about accidentally burying a 4-year-old. I think I pretty much solved that by letting him help, though. See below:
  • Listen to the jack hammer some more.
  • Listen to Cole’s imitation of the jack hammer.
  • Keep Dexter from barking at the jack hammer.
  • Contemplate stabbing myself in the thigh to distract myself from the sound of the jack hammer.
  • Go to the DMV. Fuck yeah.