And so begins another week ...

It starts off with a bang, too.

Grandson is a brat. Gee, this is news? No ... but he's starting his week off on a good foot. Not. He comes down the stairs in his underwear, after telling DIL he won't get dressed. Then it's the food fight (he wants cereal, then he doesn't he wants leftover birthday cake instead). And getting that boy to listen ... forget it. All the while DIL is trying to reason and negotiate with him. It ended up he was sent to his room, and the cats got the cereal bowl.

I don't know who looks more stupid ... him and his fits or her trying to reason with him.

She had asked me last night when they got home from Exie Pooh's mother's 90th Birthday party about discipline - I guess he really was acting up there, too. I told her that time out would work good for Grandson. "I tried that, it doesn't work. Nothing works". No ... time out works!! Discipline of any kind works. You just have to be consistent, follow through and then supervise to make sure he's following the rules of whatever discipline method you're using. Something she hasn't grasped.

Married Son had an errand he needed to run on the other side of town. She wanted to go with him. I told her go ahead, I'd watch Grandson ... and make him sit at the table until the cereal was all gone. She thinks that was too harsh of a punishment so she stayed home. He's in the bedroom playing (not a part of the "go to your room" punishment) and she sits on the computer - not checking on him. She's not speaking to me, either. She's mad that she had to stay home with a brat, and seems to want to take it out on me. However, I don't find the silent treatment to be punishment. I'm rather enjoying it.

And then she wonders why she's got problems with him?

But then, don't try to tell her anything ... whether she asks for your input or not. There's always a reason or an excuse for whatever. Or if you know you've caught her dead-to-rights, she pulls that not me shit. Hmmm, could that whole attitude be the whole reason in the three years at her work she's never been up for any type of promotion?

Half an hour after she sends him to his room he's downstairs (dressed finally) and get this ... she gave him a drink box and a piece of birthday cake.

So ... he gets his way after all. What good is it to ask about discipline or to send him to his room as punishment if you're only going to give into his demands anyway?

And I keep saying to myself "not my child". She allowed it to happen, she can live with the brat. Too bad I have to suffer through it too.

Thanks for letting me vent. I feel better.

Post Script ...
Grandson has this whiney squeal he uses at times. Grates on my final nerve on a good day. I asked him to stop. DIL says "turn your bell-tones down". Excuse me? I told her he needs to turn his volume down, way down. And then we got into it ... tell me to deal with it! And so rudely.

It's gonna be a looooooong week!

Saturday Stuff

Don't pass out from the shock. I know ... a few posts this month already. What gives with that? LOL. I told ya I wanted to get back to blogging. Well, looks like it may have finally happened.

Today is Grandson's 5th birthday. My how time flies!!

We hung out yesterday. I asked him what he wanted for his birthday. He points to his Army t-shirt and says "Anything A.R.M.Y. Gramma". And spelled Army! I asked him what one Army thing he wanted the most. "Cargo Pants, Gramma. Camouflaged Army Cargo Pants". Slowly he said it so I could let each word sink in.

Of course, Gramma ran up to the Army Surplus Store today and bought him those cargo pants.

I can't wait until his party. He's gonna be sooo excited.

He doesn't want toys. He wants Army supplies. I was tempted to get him a mess kit, too. But Married Son (who was with me at the surplus store) said absolutely not! The kid would never want to eat off regular dishes again. I'm gonna go back later and buy one. Give it to Grandson when they move back in.

Gramma's house. Gramma can give the kid an authentic mess kit to eat from.

Grammas can do that, you know. Hehehe ....

Not sure when they're moving in exactly. Yes, it will happen. Just a matter of DIL coming over and cleaning her crap out of what used to be Alien's bedroom - turned storage room. My house, my room, their crap is stored in it.

At least it'll get cleaned out, and will be transformed into a little boy's room. No, I am not camouflaging the walls!! Okay, maybe I'll remove the doll border that's up there now, but I'm not painting over the power blue walls with white sponge paint (I like that room the way it's painted). He'll just have to pretend the walls are *sky* and deal with it.

Even Grammas have their limits. Painting a room for short term occupants is mine.

That'll be my office and craft room when they finally move out.

If they don't chase me away first. Or ... my *landlord* decides to sell as the talk has been lately. But that talk has been on and off for over a decade now. So ... who knows. Funny thing is, I am ready to move! I don't know if it's more because I want a smaller place that's really not kid friendly (you know what I mean) or if it's because in the last half a decade this neighborhood has gone to hell in a hand-basket. Or both.

Ah well, no need to solve all my *problems* today.

A Little Wing Nut ...

My Pet Monster, The Rag Doll and Me ...

So, I decided to do something I don't normally do or typically even LIKE to do ... I went shopping today.

Just to the dollar store. But I never knew a dollar store could be sooooooo much fun. I so love this dollar store. On top of the usual fare, the owner of this place finds special close-outs and garage sale goodies for his inventory. It makes for a very unique mixture of unexpected surprises.

I just wandered and browsed over some of the typical dollar store junk. Wandered up and down the aisles not really finding anything I wanted or needed  ... and there ahead of me ... what do I see but My Pet Monster!! OMG!! The kids had one when they were little! Monster was a near constant companion to Single Son for a lot of years.

Yes, a FULL sized My Pet Monster!! At the dollar store!! Needless to say I grabbed him up in a heartbeat.

My practical side, the one who budgets trips to the dollar store of all places told me to put him back, that I didn't need him! My GRANDMOTHER side said "buy it for the Grandson". Guess which side won out?

I decided to text Married Son to see if it was something Grandson would really like. After all, My Pet Monster scares a lot of kiddies.

Mom: OMG! im @ the dollar store. they have a my pet monster. FULL sized one!
Son: I WANT ONE!!
Mom: they only have one!
Son: Then he's MINE!!

While I'm waiting for his first response I'm still going through the big box of stuffed toys and find something for ME!! A rag doll. She's adorable. And she's handmade. Dammit ... get me out of here and quick before they ALL jump into my cart and blow my dollar store budget for the entire year!

Married Son calls me all excited. "Mom did you get *him*"?
"I sure did, he's in my basket now."

Dolly and My Pet Monster begged me to take their photo!

We decided to meet at DIL's parents house, since he was headed over there anyway. It wasn't far from the Dollar store. I got there first. I had a nice visit with DILs Mom while we waited.

As soon as they pulled in and Grandson saw My Pet Monster - well, that's all it took. He was all over that Monster!! Married Son is trying to tell him "that's Daddy's Pet Monster, Son" ...

WRONG!! Looks like Grandson adopted Pet Monster! My son is S.O.L. But between you and me, I adopted My Pet Monster for Grandson anyway!!

Best buck I ever spent, I tell ya!

Plotting their First Adventure Together!!

Grandson's Birthday Party

My Grandson's birthday party was yesterday. The party was indoors because of all the rain we had. I didn't take an official head-count, but the small house we were at was packed.

My side of the family was there, my ex and his side of the family was there. Exie Poo brought his new girlfriend. DIL's family and friends were all there, too. It was like trying to fit a whale into a sardine can, but we all fit in the house!! LOL!

We had fun. It was great to see my ex mother-in-law and sister-in-law again. Exie's girlfriend and I had a million laughs at Exie's expense. It's one of those weird things, he and I were friends with the girlfriend and her husband the whole time we were married.

There was more than enough pizza and pop for the crowd. Two large cakes, and three half gallons of ice cream provided enough sugar to keep the six or so kiddies bouncing off the walls - and put the adults (diabetic or not) into a sugar induced coma. They were *not* taking "just a small piece please" as an answer! LOL! Luckily Grandson came to my rescue and hogged all my chocolate chip ice cream and half my cake. That's after eating his own piece of cake, too!! He must have bounced off the walls for hours after I left!!

Boy did that child get a bunch of toys. Almost everything was car related. Above is one of the gifts I got him, a fire engine filled with building blocks. It's the only picture I have where his face is blocked. LOL! He got a real cool VTech computer, too.

Alien stayed after the party to help them clean up. Afterwards she got to play with Grandson and all his new toys.

All in all we had a great time. But I sure was glad to get out of there and back to the peace and quiet of my own home.

Grandson

Pics of my grandson.

So much for studying!

LOL! Married Son and Grandson stopped by for a visit. Married Son is off visiting one of his friends, Grandson is here with me. Trying to study with a not quite three year old is interesting!! No, it's impossible!

As soon as they came over, Grandson took over the computer. "Paint, Grandma, me paint".

Now he's off with Alien reciting his shapes, colors and alphabet. He's taken over her notebook and pen! It's a hoot! Just gotta be involved in everything, that boy does.

As I sit here unable to study I'm listening to the two kids - my Alien and Grandson. Amazing what one not quite three year old does!! He knows how to spell his name. He knows all his shapes including diamond, stars, moons, and hearts. Knows all his alphabet and recognizes numbers. He can also count to ten without help!

Yeah, I'm bragging here!! He's one smart little boy! Daughter In Law spends a lot of time with him, obviously. As much as I doubted her mothering abilities early on, my fears and doubts have been put to rest. She's a damned good mommy. And it shows.

Oh oh ... here comes Trouble!! And he's demanding the computer back!!

"Paint, Grandma. Me paint. NOW!!"

Grandkids!! Gotta Love 'Em!!

I get an instant message a little while ago from Married Son:

Married Son: hi there
Me: howdeeeeee
Married Son: YOUR GRANDSON!!!
Me: what's he doing?
Married Son: i bought some cookies earlier... and he heard mommy tell me he cant have any...
Me: oh oh
Married Son: so he waits till she's not looking, grabs one out of the thing... takes ONE bite, and puts it back
Me: LMAO
Married Son: he would have gotten away with it if mommy didnt see him chewing on something
Me:
Married Son: little shit LOL
Me: like someone else I know!!
Me: I have a picture of a certain little boy w/ a forbidden cupcake ...
Married Son: lol


Gotta love it!!! The *Mother's Curse* really does work!!!!!


And the photo ... proof that Grandson comes by it naturally ...
Married Son in 1985 (about the same age as his son is now) busted having a cupcake *before* dinner after his grandmother said no ...