You Broke It!

It started with the pepper mill.

The design is such that the handles squeeze together in order to grind the pepper. Ron let it drop on the floor, or it was already broken. I’m not completely sure of the story but Nicole insisted.

“Daddy you brote it!”

We were driving to a hockey tournament and Ron had hit the interior light (it’s the push button kind) and it now no longer turns on.

“Daddy you brote light?”

Ron looked at me and said Mommy had broken it because I drive the truck the most. Nicole didn’t buy it.

“Noooo Daddy you brote the, the, the light!”

Every time Ron used the pepper mill or we are all in the truck, she kindly reminds him that he broke it. Nicole doesn’t let Ron forget…ever.

The Chair

We were having a family dinner at the table and Ron had finished his meal first. He decided to rock back on the chair. This is something I constantly yell at Lucas for doing and here my husband does it. I’ve yelled at him too but neither of them listen.

Nicole had to go to the bathroom so I took her in and closed the door. I returned back to the table and continued having a family conversation. Ron continued to rock back on the chair.

Guess what happened next?

The chair broke. The force sent Ron flying backwards. Ron hit his knees on the table which almost sent the table flying on top of him. If I didn’t stop it with my arms it would have landed on his gut. Ron could have really gotten hurt. Instead he had sore knees and wounded pride. I looked at Lucas

“See what happens when you don’t listen to your mother.”

Lucas rolled his eyes.

“Well did Dad not just break the chair and almost get really hurt?”

“Yeah I guess.” Lucas said.

We all heard Nicole shout.

“I done!”

I returned to the bathroom to help Nicole and I heard Ron telling Lucas.

“Quick give me the back of the chair.” Ron then placed the back on the chair making it appear as if nothing was wrong with it.

Nicole returned to kitchen and announced to everyone.

“I get jammies on!”

“Ok honey bunny.” Ron is smiling from ear to ear hoping she doesn’t notice the chair.

“March! March! March!” she shouts marching like the characters from The Cat in the Hat  towards her room.

Ron takes the back off  the chair again to look at it, but Nicole turned around in the hallway and walked right back into the kitchen.

 

Nicole caught Ron red handed.

“Daddy you brote chair!”

We all laughed. Ron was busted.

“No I didn’t.” Ron laughed so hard he wasn’t able to keep a straight face.

“Yeah you did, look! Look!” Nicole pointed to the broken chair.

“Can’t talk your way out of that one now can you Ron?”

More laughter.

“Nope I guess not.”

The Lip

I’m not sure I’m going to survive the tween years

Lucas is pretty lippy. There have been a few times where I’ve caught myself and told myself to breathe, let it go, and to pick my battles.  I find this is not an easy task.

Lately I’ve just flown off the handle.

He becomes disrespectful, and I lose it.

The lip

Is just one thing I can’t tolerate.

I guess that’s part of the parental territory.

After my trip to the grocery store, Lucas began repeating everything I said.

I gave him my three warnings.

“Lucas knock it off, I’m not impressed!”

He again repeats what I just said.

I was about to yell at him when I heard this whisper in the back seat.

“Dudis you shut up.”

I barely contained my laughter, but I contained it.

“Well Lucas it’s pretty sad when your little sister even realizes you’re annoying.”

I saw him smile in rear view mirror.

“Yep.” And he laughed.

A little louder and more forceful this time I heard the little voice.

“You bugging myyyy Mommy Dudis you shut up.”

“Nicole it’s not nice to tell people to shut up.”

“Yeah Nicole!”

I caught Lucas trying to punch Nicole in the arm and he missed. Nicole then caught his arm and she hauled off and hit him square in the arm.

“AAAHHHH Niccooollle!”

Lucas grabbed his arm and protested that Nicole hurt him.

“Yeah ok Lucas.” I rolled my eyes.

“Nicole it’s not nice to hit even though you were defending yourself and Lucas seems to think I can’t see what he’s doing.” I glanced again in my rear view mirror and I noticed Lucas is beginning to sulk.

“But Moooommm!”

Nicole shook her head and rolled her eyes.

“Shut up Dudis, shut up.”

“Nicole Morgan.” I gave her my stern and I’m not very happy voice.”

“Soweey Mommieee soweey.”

Death of a Family Pet

 

To add to the chaos

Nicole wasn’t the only one sick. So was our cat Tigger. This time we had to put Tigger down. It was hard decision to make. It was hard to make Lucas understand that it wasn’t a good life for Tigger to have to keep going to the veterinarian every few months to band aid his problem.  My little tough guy and first said

“I don’t care.”

 A few hours later

We were picking up a few things at the grocery store and he broke down in sobs.

 “I miss Tigger! Why did this have to happen? He was such a good cat.” I put my arms around him as he cried in the frozen food section of Sobey’s.

Dealing with death and kids is tricky. It doesn’t matter if it’s a relative or a pet. To date the pet has been the hardest, only because those he knew that passed away were old. This made sense to Lucas in his mind. But Tigger was four years old. A teenager in cat years .Okay maybe not a teenager but he certainly acted like one.

 

Tigger constantly snuck outside.

Most times he was successful and he always came back a few hours later.

Tigger and the kids

Tigger was a lap cat. He loved attention. Any time Nicole sat still on the couch Tigger would sit beside her and rub his face in her hands. Nicole would squeal and laugh.

“Momma, Tiggaa wan luuuuuvvvvv.”

Tigger normally took turns sleeping outside the doorway of Nicole’s room and Lucas’ room. If Nicole was having a nap he would sneak in her room and sleep at the end of the bed.

If it was time to get up in the morning and Lucas or Nicole fell back asleep Tigger would rub his face against theirs to wake them up.  (I think is may be part of the reason why since he’s been gone the kids are giving me hassle about getting up in the morning.)

Tigger also promptly tripped me on the way to the bathroom in the morning to indicate he wanted food.

As much as he could be a pain in the rump, he will be missed by us.