WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER TIMES?

I usually blog about the cool stuff that AJ does - stuff that’s funny or cute or touching. But what about the other stuff?

What about when it’s raw and painful?

What about when it’s just ugly? Does anyone want to hear about that?

What if a little boy walks up to AJ and says “Do you want to be on my team?” and AJ screams in his face “NO!”, and the little boy cries?

What if AJ says “Yeah, I know I made you cry, but I don’t feel bad about it?”

What if AJ hits me and laughs?

What if I cry and AJ’s response is “Will you shut up, I’m trying to think?”

What if AJ spends an entire day hitting, screaming, and making fun of me?

What if I completely lose my cool and scream back at him?

What if it all gets to be too much and I consider residential placement because he’s getting so violent?

What if the only thing I want for my birthday is to be alone, and I can’t get it?

What if the bad days outnumber the good?

What if AJ runs away in a corn maze and I can’t find him for what seems like forever, and when I do, he runs away again?

What if this is the new normal?

Just a Little Funny

If you are easily offended by blasphemy, stop reading now!!

OK, you're still here.  If you get offended, remember, you were warned...

When I get annoyed, sometimes I blaspheme.  Just minor.  I say "JESUS!!", but I say it so that it sounds like "Hey-Zeus".  I don't know why - I just do...

So this morning, I was carrying something heavy down the stairs, and "hey-zeussing" all the way down.  AJ was down there waiting for me.  Here's what he said:

"Mama, why do you keep calling me 'Zeus'?"  (You get it right??  HEY ZEUS)

Needless to say, I laughed so hard that I now need a new tool box.  I will not be explaining to ANYONE what happened to the current one.

Also this morning, AJ and I were working out to an "Arms & Abs" video.  What?!?  It's part of the P.E. curriculum.  Anyway, the guy in the video kept talking about his "abdominals", and how we could have fantastic abdominals just like him.  AJ's take on this?  You asked for it:

"Mama, why does he want us to have 'fantastic dominoes'?"

See, this is why I never get anything done.  I keep hurting myself laughing too hard!!

We Must Be Doing Something Right

AJ was watching Penguins of Madagascar.  Lisa and I were talking about some friends of ours that are going through a difficult time.  I commented to Lisa that many of our friends had difficult childhoods, and some of them were horrific.

AJ: "What's a bad childhood, Mama?"

What - he's listening???  Crap!!

Me: "Well, some kids grow up with parents who don't always do the right thing for them."

There, that should do it.

AJ: "What do they do?"

Did I really think that would work - silly Mama!!

Lisa: "Some parents don't give enough hugs, or say 'I love you' enough."

Cindy: (getting emotional) "And those kids grow up to be adults who need a lot of love - they need people to tell them they are good people - that they deserve love."

I may have babbled on and on, and on, and on but for brevity sake, let's pretend I was concise...

Suddenly, AJ is giving me the tightest hug.

Me: "Thanks, AJ.  What was that for??"

AJ: (as he's tackling Lisa with a giant hug) "That's for being great parents!"

Go ahead - tell me you're not crying a little bit!!  Gotta love this kid.