Yeah, right.
The Howler has been a bundle of nervous energy. She wasn't bad about Christmas. I don't know if it was the spring-like weather (I mean, why would you expect Spring to have spring-like weather anyway?), the birthday party, or Easter itself, but I have been listening to her talk, non-stop for the better part of a week.
It's easy enough to do the selective hearing thing--she does it often enough to me. But, what I can't take is the constant motion, the rise in volume, and the way she launches herself AT me when I'm not looking.
How I haven't sustained a serious injury yet, I don't know.
Today in church she refused to shut up. She would not be silent, or even quiet, no matter what. The only peace we had was when my mother took her to the bathroom.
Then, towards the end of service, she decided that she would lift her dress as she danced.
Her father was about to explode. I was very close to actually dragging her out by her hair.
After service, she was a ball of nerves, still, and we made it 15 minutes after service before we hauled her to the car. She slept for all of 8 minutes on the way home, and I honestly think the only reason she finally quit talking is that all her father & I had to say to her was, "We're angry with you and we aren't really speaking to you right now." By the third attempt to divert our attention, she got the hint.
She was slightly better behaved at home. Slightly. She didn't go spastic over her basket, which was okay. She's not that big on chocolate and sweets. She didn't want to watch the Charlotte's Web movie the Easter Bunny brought her. She was relatively quiet and listened fairly well.
Then we went to my mother's for dinner.
The Howler was fine until my brother & his family showed up. Then it was every man for himself! She was crazy--not listening, whining, jumping on furniture. Even when someone specifically told her "No", she went ahead anyway.
Considering my brother's oldest was in the room, this is not a good idea. (God help me, I can't remember if she's 2 or 3 right now.) The little one does everything the Howler does, including jump from the furniture.
I finally had to drag her (yes, I said DRAG) her from the LR to the DR and make her sit on a chair. Of course, I didn't hurt her, but you'd think I was poking her with red-hot needles the way she shrieked.
She didn't her way. No one came to her rescue. Not even my grandmother, who, as I distinctly recall, told me off for correcting my son when he was about the same age. The Howler got control of herself, when she was informed that if she didn't, she and I were going home, RIGHT NOW. And she could cry and shriek herself sick the whole way.
She was much better behaved after that, but it set the volume for the rest of the evening. EVERYONE was talking in their *outdoor voices*. By the time we left, all I wanted was silence. Not a peep--no background noise, no happy voices, no sad voices. NO SOUND please.
Of course, it's not really a holiday unless your nerves are fried, but Easter is supposed to be a more laid-back holiday, is it not?
The high point of the day was that the Toad was more social than he's been, and he was actually not putting off the "how could you do this horrendous thing to me" ("this" being curse him with such a family) and he walked home to get his car and head over to Jerkwood's house for a full night of Geekapalooza April '07.
The Howler has been a bundle of nervous energy. She wasn't bad about Christmas. I don't know if it was the spring-like weather (I mean, why would you expect Spring to have spring-like weather anyway?), the birthday party, or Easter itself, but I have been listening to her talk, non-stop for the better part of a week.
It's easy enough to do the selective hearing thing--she does it often enough to me. But, what I can't take is the constant motion, the rise in volume, and the way she launches herself AT me when I'm not looking.
How I haven't sustained a serious injury yet, I don't know.
Today in church she refused to shut up. She would not be silent, or even quiet, no matter what. The only peace we had was when my mother took her to the bathroom.
Then, towards the end of service, she decided that she would lift her dress as she danced.
Her father was about to explode. I was very close to actually dragging her out by her hair.
After service, she was a ball of nerves, still, and we made it 15 minutes after service before we hauled her to the car. She slept for all of 8 minutes on the way home, and I honestly think the only reason she finally quit talking is that all her father & I had to say to her was, "We're angry with you and we aren't really speaking to you right now." By the third attempt to divert our attention, she got the hint.
She was slightly better behaved at home. Slightly. She didn't go spastic over her basket, which was okay. She's not that big on chocolate and sweets. She didn't want to watch the Charlotte's Web movie the Easter Bunny brought her. She was relatively quiet and listened fairly well.
Then we went to my mother's for dinner.
The Howler was fine until my brother & his family showed up. Then it was every man for himself! She was crazy--not listening, whining, jumping on furniture. Even when someone specifically told her "No", she went ahead anyway.
Considering my brother's oldest was in the room, this is not a good idea. (God help me, I can't remember if she's 2 or 3 right now.) The little one does everything the Howler does, including jump from the furniture.
I finally had to drag her (yes, I said DRAG) her from the LR to the DR and make her sit on a chair. Of course, I didn't hurt her, but you'd think I was poking her with red-hot needles the way she shrieked.
She didn't her way. No one came to her rescue. Not even my grandmother, who, as I distinctly recall, told me off for correcting my son when he was about the same age. The Howler got control of herself, when she was informed that if she didn't, she and I were going home, RIGHT NOW. And she could cry and shriek herself sick the whole way.
She was much better behaved after that, but it set the volume for the rest of the evening. EVERYONE was talking in their *outdoor voices*. By the time we left, all I wanted was silence. Not a peep--no background noise, no happy voices, no sad voices. NO SOUND please.
Of course, it's not really a holiday unless your nerves are fried, but Easter is supposed to be a more laid-back holiday, is it not?
The high point of the day was that the Toad was more social than he's been, and he was actually not putting off the "how could you do this horrendous thing to me" ("this" being curse him with such a family) and he walked home to get his car and head over to Jerkwood's house for a full night of Geekapalooza April '07.
1 comment:
Oy vey.
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