Wednesday, October 12, 2005

Progress?

I think that we've made some progress here.

We've progressed from the "why?" to the "And guess what?"

Well, Ryan has.  And it's driving me insane.

I try, really, I do, to listen to him as he rattles off something excitedly, then says "and guess what?" 

It's just that at the fifth time he says it, in the same conversation, my eyes are about to roll back in my head.

"I know what happens in "Wallace and Gromit."  He's an inventor, and Gromit is the dog, and guess what?"

<You have to respond, "what?" or at least look interested in what's coming next>

"He invents this thing, and his mind gets mixed up, and guess what?"

"What?"

"He turns into this big, furry, were-rabbit, and guess what?"

Now, multiply that "and guess what?" over the course of the day, add 3 more kids, and traffic, and tell me you aren't reaching for the strong stuff.

On the one hand, it is adorable, and it'll pass.

On the other, it's enough to make me feel like a robot, nodding and inserting "what?" at the appropriate prompt.

The two of us actually did go see "Wallace and Gromit" last night.  I promised I'd take him when he pitched a fit upon discovering the older two boys were going to a birthday party at a mini-golf place this past weekend and he wasn't.  A night out with just Mom to a movie he knows the big kids wanted to see was enough to calm him down.   It was quite a doozey of hurt feelings, too; I was pulling at strings and just happened to yank the right one that stopped the crying madness.   

It's hard, when you have so many kids, so close together in age.  They have the same friends, they go to the same school.  They get invited, sometimes as a group, sometimes individually.  I don't mind, either way, and I certainly understand when it's one and not all, what with the prices per head some establishments charge when you are having a party: "How much for the 20 tokens, 2 slices of pizza, a drink, yes, we'll bring our own cake...mmmhmmm, a pot of gold?  Per child, not for the whole party?"  That, and the whole each-kid-should-be-able-to-cultivate-his-own-friendships/identity thing makes me NOT one of those "invite one, invite them all" kind of Moms.  (Oh, and they are out there, believe me.)

A bag of buttered popcorn can do wonders to soothe the psyche.  He had a great time.

Which leads me to my next beef with the little personality in the house, who has progressed from "I do it" to her latest Audrey-ism...I told her she wasn't coming along last night, and she was crying (no nap) but managed to throw in:

"It's not fair." <complete with tears and a pout>

I just can't win.  I was about to cave...

Which is where my hero stepped in, and pried her out of my arms, pointed to the door, and said "go."

I left without her, realizing that sometimes the progress comes to me, sometimes I'm pushed into it.

Maybe I can win afterall.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Guess what???

:)

Rowan hasn't hit that stage yet...

She did the "Why's" and is now on
to the "Hey (insert name here)".

Guess I have something to look
forward to!

~Jenn~

Anonymous said...

I know the "guess what" feeling... my daughter does that. well still my 11 year old son will do it too. and say mom mom mom till i have to physicaly turn around and look at him before he'll say what he wants to say.
When i go to go out the door they all automatically think they are going with me.
Sometimes i have to say no and i feel bad. But sometimes i say yes. and later wished like hell i'd said NO!!!

Take care  :-)

Anonymous said...

oh my princess drives me nuts with this - i'm looking straight at her and she's giving me "so, ya' know what happened at school today" and unless I say "what" out loud she just sits there!!

Anonymous said...

Ryan sounds like a clever kid. The "guess what" technique is a sneaky little trick developed over generations to make sure you're actually listening! He might even have read a book entitled "How To Engage Your Mom In Conversation" - although agreed, it's probably time to move onto Chapter 2 and the next technique! But guess what, I think he's as bright as a button!
Tilly xx
http://journals.aol.co.uk/tillysweetchops/Adventuresofadesperatelyfathouse/

Anonymous said...

I LOVED the "guess what" stage!  The Big Guy was the worst at it....everything was "guess what"...

When it got too much, he'd say, "Guess what" and I'd say, "Chicken Butt."

The rhyme would confuse the daylights out of him, make him laugh and then wander off to tell his brother about chicken butt.  Naturally, he started the conversation with his brother with, 'Guess what'.

Kids, ya just gotta love em.  ~Peachy

Anonymous said...

I can totally relate to this entry, because, Guess What? I have a house full of kids all close in age too. :0)

When the party invites come up, I usually take all of my kids and just buy their own food/tokens myself (if it isn't in the private home). I always tend to buy really good gifts though, so I don't think anyone minds. They haven't said anything if they do anyway....

That brings me to a rant.. I always buy good gifts, but that favor isn't always returned. If I give money to a kid, I usually give the same amount from EACH of my kids. Meaning if I am giving $20 to the b-day kid, it will end up being $60 that I give ($20 from each of my kids)... I have a friend that always asks that I just give her daughter $$. This year when I had my two little one's party, she gave them $5 each!!! I know it wasn't a matter of her not having it either. Just burned my ass though.

Sorry for ranting in your journal. Just had it on my mind after talking about parties. Sorry... Won't happen again. LOL

***Monica

Anonymous said...

You sound like a great mom.  This is my first visit.  I found a link to you on Dust Bunny Protector's blog.  My little boy is not far out of the "and guess what" stage.  He just started kindergarten this fall.  I am so proud of how great he is, but it breaks my heart constantly to leave behind the little boy of yesterday...

Anonymous said...

You are such a great mom, and I find myself not inviting certain kids over because the mothers are like "one for all and all for one" mentality when it comes to their children being so close in age and insisting that their kids hang  out together as a group....Now it is the "guess what", my daughter is driving me insane with word "like".....(she is 12) I counted "like" 18 times in a 3 minute conversation with her a few days ago....."She liked said this, and I liked told her, that she liked shouldn't like him!" Oh My Goodness ! I am, Like, going nuts!!! Tammy