everyones growing up

SOmething weird happens here every night around 10pm. I have a sneezing fit. Not just a single solitary sneeze. BUT an absolute, no holds barred, run to the bathroom cause you know its coming, sneezing fit. Then its over, and I dont sneeze again till the next night. at 10. actually tonight it was at 10:10. I wish I knew why it happens..

I have been cooking down my muscadines all day. Well I started yesterday afternoon. I cook them really slowly because I dont add any water to the pot. I cook and I smush, I drain, and I smush. I work the hulls, I dump it all back in and start over. It takes me hours and hours of cooking them. Well 2 days in this case. I didnt get much the last time we went. I was just not into it. The kids didnt help any and I was not up for an all day "redneck rollercoaster". Thats what I call it when I am in the bucket and he just moves me from spot to spot. and sometimes lets her down a little just to keep me on my toes.. I dont really get more than 18-20 foot up in the air. But I reckon thats high enough that it would smart pretty bad if I was to take a tumble out.

Me and the kids have been trying to get ready for school. I am going through their closet and getting together what I know they will need. They are about to outgrow all their nice shirts. I will have to get some more pretty soon.
In cleaning out their drawrs I found:
4 of my T shirts
2 pair of Rayleys pants
6 of her shirts
13 of Bows outfits or shirts or pants
2 of BR's T shirts
2 pair of his shorts
1 pair of my sleep pants
1 pair of BR's sleep pants
14 pair of panties that were mine or Rayleys
an untold number of socks that were NOT theirs
even more socks that WERE theirs
and a few things I cant remember
and ALL kinds of toys..

Now there is not a good reason for this stuff to be in there. But I do know EXACTLY how it all got there. I would ask them to help me put up some laundry and then go to doing something else. They would just take it all and shove it in a drawer. NO matter who it belonged to.

Today was a WORK day. I had to keep them busy or they would fall asleep. It all started on Friday. I asked them to pick up their rooms and keep them clean. Cause they couldnt leave the house with anyone if their rooms were not clean. Well on Sunday I was napping (had JUST went to sleep, maybe 10 minutes before, and it was cause I was holding a sleeping Bow and couldnt resist.) Well, my Mother in law showed up. NO phone call, no warning, just showed up. ANd said "I'm gona take them for a little while now, I should have been here earlier." well I was running on little sleep, had just been woken up, and it of course had woken up Bow. I said "Fine, but not till my living room is clean" so they set about cleaining it. I asked them if their rooms were clean. They said yes. Well I was nursing Bow, trying to get him back to sleep. (I was SOOO tired). I didnt look at their rooms till they left. VERY MESSY.

So I called them, told them what I had found, and that they could bet their sweet rears that they would be UP all night till they had clean rooms and then I would be getting them up bright and early Monday morning. Just for the hell of it.

Aparently they didnt belive me. I told them when they got home at 5. They ignored me, or gave me an excuse.
6. Same thing.
6:15 same thing.
at 6:45 Brett told me that he had plenty of time and wouldnt have any problems.

at 7:35 they realized they had to be done quickly, so they pretended to clean, they played and ran around and tried to call my bluff. I wasnt budgin, so they opted to clean a little. 8:30 came and went, as did 9, 9:30 and 10.
Then they started getting cranky. And tired, and swearing they would do it tomorrow. Rayley decided that I was the antichrist, and was put on this earth to torture her and was the worst mom ever.
I just smiled and reminded them. Rayley cleaned her room by herself. she did pretty good. And fell asleep around 11 the boys were up till well after midnight and NOT happy. They were done around 11:15. Then I opened their closet to put in some clean clothes. and found all kinds of clothes on the floor. it only took 10 minutes to clean it, but the whine fest took 45.

I was exhausted too. I have been having to get up and go and get BR around 6-7 every morning. His truck is at the shop still. I'd love to take a little nap, but Bow never really complies. But I also have been staying up to my normal times of midnight or later. Talking to BR on the phone, cleaning and playing on the computer. MY time.

But I kept my promise. BR called at 5:42 for me to come and get him. SO I woke them ALL up. Usually I just take Bow, I am gone 10 minutes and they never even know it. But this morning he was leaving his truck at the shop so I had to drive the 8 miles down there and wait on him. PLUS I had promised the kids they would be getting up early to go with me. And that was one torture device I wasnt going to let pass.

Talk about crying and whining and complaining. and they were even worse than me.

Once we got back I let them lay around for about an hour and it was time to get to work. They did good all day. Helping me sort their clothes, and cleaning out drawers and closets.

They really didnt even fight. And speaking of fighting. Matt has always been the one who really doesnt care, he will argue, then he will hit Brett if he has to, then he will be fine with it and walk off. at which time Brett will attack. Matt really doesnt take up for himself.

But Matt suprised me. Yesterday at one point they were fighting about something and Brett was standing in my doorway. He was jabbin at Matt and as Matt walked by he whirled around and hit him. He didnt aim, he didnt just tap him, he knocked the kid on his rear. Then tried not to laugh. He really doesnt hold a grudge. Even then he was done and happy. But Brett was stunned. He just laid there. I actually went over to check on him. Then about 5 minutes later Matt and I were in the laundry room and Brett had recovered and came to the door. I was between them. They started in again. It was a serious fight. BUT they were still laughing. I was trying to stay between them, and they were kicking and hitting and trying to get to each other. It went all around the kitchen table, and then into the living room. Rayley was screaming to quit hitting each other, and Bow was following them around and hollering encouragement. he just thought it was fun. I was getting worn out.

Once we got into the living room they kept at it. I was still between them trying to stop them, but not doing well. Then Brett got a real lick in on Matt and knocked him down. It hurt. so I thought we had reverted to Matt laying there crying and Brett getting the upper hand again. SO I backed off. I still had ahold of Brett kinda and was telling them to stop. Then Matt kicked at Brett and got him upside the head. Down BRett went and although he was a little hurt he was more stunned. That was TWICE that Matt had gotten him. I took the lull in the action to put them in seperate rooms. Thinking I needed to make them cool off. They were actually having a blast. But I did get them seperated. For my fishtanks safety if nothing else.

Rayley hated them being locked away. SHe kept trying to mediate. I told her to just leave them alone.

When they came out the conversation turned to how shocked Brett was that Matt had actually not only faught back, but done pretty good. BR has told me for a long time that eventually Matt would stop being the punching bag and start taking up for himself. And I am glad he is. For years if Brett and he had an altercation that I thought was wrong, or Brett hurt him I would tell Matt that I would hold Brett or that he could hit him back. He would barely tap him and then be fine with it. No ill feelings. ANd he still didnt have any, but he got the upper hand this time and I think he was proud of himself.

And the funny thing is, at least once a day they tie up. It ends with Matt getting the short end of the stick and Brett getting to stay the boss. Well today there was none of that. The one time that Brett started strutting like a rooster and trying to intimidate Matt, Matt just balled up his fist and Brett backed down. And he didnt just let Brett tell him what to do all day. He made up some of the rules in the games they played.

Now neither one can really get the best of Rayley. She is just not smart enough to quit. and she is smaller so she can wriggle out of alot of things. Plus she packs a mean punch.


And alot of times you think Matt is serious and he is just picking. He has a huge onery streak. Not mean, or cruel, but just like when I was pointing through the door way and teling him to go in there, he walked by and hit my hand. I growled at him, fixing to jerk a knot in his head, when he turned around he was laughing so hard and trying not to, that he was crying. Like I said, neither boy was upset with all the fighting, they were just playing. But seriously. And with Matt you always think he is serious when he isnt. Matter of fact, that kid is NEVER serious. He is the one that will walk by you and jab you in the ribs, just cause he can run fast. Both boys just went into the rooms, got books and sat and read. Then came back in here and went right to playing.

Now growing up as a single, I never really faught like that with a sibling. But BR had Luke, who is 3 years younger than him, and he assures me that its the same as they did. And they aint violent now. Might be cause BR is so big and few folks will test whether he is or not.... But they are the best of friends.

Oh and during cops on TV on Saturday I overheard this conversation:
Brett "you know, that idiot shouldnt have hit that woman. YOu NEVER hit a woman"
Matt "I know. I think someone needs to hit him"
Brett "Mama always says what goes around comes around"
Matt " yep, maybe it will be a fist next time it comes around"
Rayley " well they underarrested him, so its gona be okay"
Brett in a whisper to Matt "Boy am I glad that rule doesnt apply to sisters"
Matt "Me too. Can you imagine how mean she would be if we couldnt ever hit her back?"

Ahhhh sibling love..

But most of the conversations I hear lately start with:
"just wait till you are in 3rd grade......"
or
"Oh Matt, I just remembered something else that happens in 3rd grade....."

There was never really that much excitement about passing the torch, except in kindergarten. But I guess 3rd grade is a big step. Its a new school. Not the same one as kindergarten and Pre K are in, and you get a trapper keeper. Its hard to belive my boys are actually this old. Heck, Brett is 9. Thats half his 'at home' life gone. 9 more years and he is gone. Its sad. and scary.

I cant wait till Bow is big enough to reap what they have sowed... He is already giving them a run for their money. Oh and he is really starting to stand on his own. He still 'cruises' around the furniture, But if you are putting him down and leave him standing up he will stand for a minute or so. Or he will let go of what ever he is holding on to and stand. And he started clapping today. Actually hitting his hands together and not just flopping them around.

I am trying to get him on a sippy cup. I give him one during meal time and such. He is doing pretty good at it. When you hold it. He cant hold a cup, bottle or anything except food. Well, let me rephrase that. HE COULD. but HE WONT. He will lay it on the highchair and lay his head down sideways and drink out of it that way. Or if you give it to him on the floor you have to lay him down and prop it up. He is hilarious. But I guess thats what happens when you have never really had alot of bottles.

The one thing he has mastered is an ice cream cone. He LOVES them. And its gotten to where I have to make myself 2. Just so I can get my half. I hold it and he takes a bite. Then I take a bite and he screams at me. Between peas and ice cream this kid will never loose a pound.