Blahs and Blessings

Well, the day started out pretty ok. I got up early, had some breakfast and coffee. I even got a sneak peek at some news thanks to iGoogle. And then... "he" woke up.

I'm a morning person... always have been. I was born at 6AM (well, technically my birth certificate says "5:59") and getting up and getting going was not a big chore for me. My husband is NOT a morning person. I found this out on our honeymoon almost 13 years ago. I woke up and chatted away at breakfast making plans for our day. Finally he looked at me and said, "I really need you to stop talking for a minute and let me wake up." I was a bit taken back, but he didn't say it in anger so I wasn't offended. I just always woke up and started my day. I didn't know any other way... But that was not Bob's way.

And now it's not Rob's way either. Rob looks like Bob, but he's 99% me on the inside... except he doesn't like waking up in the morning. I mean, he really doesn't like to get out of bed until he's good and ready. So mornings are tough... on both of us.

When I thought he was awake enough I decided to go rollerblading at the middle school. The track there is just awesome for novice rollerbladers like myself. Once we got there, Rob skated to the bench and sat down while I went around the quarter mile track. On my way past him he got up and started skating with me. I thought, "Great! He's out of his funk!"

Yeah... not so much. He got as far as the first turn and sat down on the track. I asked if he fell (I knew he hadn't, I was watching him) and he said, "I'm tiiiiiiiiired!" as only a whiny 6 year old can do on a hot and humid New Jersey summer day. One of the things I have learned about Rob in my quest for the coveted "Mother of the Year" award, is that if I coddle that behavior, it just reinforces it. So I ignored him and got in another lap. Half way around the track I looked back and saw him laying on the track on his side. Sigh... I completed the lap and skated up next to him.

"Rob, are you ok? Did you fall?"

"AAAAAAAAAAhhhhhhhhhhhh! I can't get my skaaaaates tiiiiiiiiiiiight."

"OK, well, let's tighten them up..."

"I'm TIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRED!!"

"Dude, mom really has to go around the track a couple more times. Can you just hang out here then?"

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...." And he flopped back down on the grass next to the track.

"OK, at least he's off the track" I thought to myself. I made it one more lap.

The whining and the... well... WHINING were not worth it. I gave up. We left and went home. I was sweaty anyway (although I really did want to go around a few more times!) and it was kind of humid for a midday roller blade workout.

I should have just stayed home the rest of the day. But me, being the glutton for punishment that I am, decided maybe going to the library will snap him out of it. He was due for his prize for summer reading. Surely a cheap plastic Oriental Trading tchotchke will do the trick.

Yeah... not so much. While he was fine at the library (thank heavens he actually only acts up at home!) we had another melt down in the car. I can't even remember what it was for! It was a trying day to say the least...

HOWEVER...

Since this is Blahs and Blessings, I should include my praises today!

I'm going back to school for Elementary Education. One of my fall classes requires me to be in an elementary school for "field work." Stockton picks which school I will go to, but I have to give them my top 3 choices. Luckily they chose my top pick, and it's literally 6 minutes from my house! Thank you God for taking care of that concern for me since my other 2 picks were considerably lower on my pick list! The principal called and wants to meet with me prior to me coming to his school. Since my mother in law is currently in Virginia caring for her daughter, I had no childcare for Rob. My wonderful neighbor offered her daughter (who by the way, is so sweet and a good kid herself!). So not only do I have someone to look after Rob while I'm in my meeting, he'll have another little guy to play with as Mel's brother is just a year older than Rob. PRAISE!!

Now, if he wakes up on the same grouchy side of the bed tomorrow, my neighbor may just have a new edition to her family...