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miss_lucy21I am drained and headachy, but I just ate drive thru food (because I was hungry enough to be shaking on my way home) so I need to sit up for awhile before going to bed. Swear to God, I never had heartburn or reflux until my mid-30s. The things they don't tell you.
Spent today at my aunt's house for our family (early) Memorial Day picnic. My cousin is graduating from high school the weekend we would usually do this, so we bumped it up. It went fairly well, although I was ready to head home about an hour and a half before we actually left, but that's typical. I spent a good while watching the kids in the backyard, which was a handy excuse to be more or less alone, aside from redirecting the girls every so often when they got too bossy with each other- the two older ones are 5 and 6, which is prime bossy time. They are also both the oldest in their respective sibling groups, so they're both used to being the ones making the rules. So, yes, there was yelling and there was pouting. Most of which I ignored- they need to learn to sort their own selves out without a grownup intervening- but I draw the line at completely overwhelmed, honest to goodness tears of frustration (the cryer was fine after a hug and a pep-talk and back out to the game in about a minute).
I also spent awhile being the human jungle gym for the baby, who is about 6 weeks older than my nephew, but about twice the size of my nephew. Seriously, this kid is nearly three feet tall already and he's not quite 10 months old.
And this let me mostly avoid my other aunt's husband, whom I still do not like. I keep hoping he's just fronting out of anxiety, but at this point, I think this is just who the guy is, and yeah, no. I can manage civil, though, and it's only a couple times a year, so it's livable. But man, my aunt has lousy taste in men.
At least it was warm enough that the kids could be outside, even though it was raining most of the afternoon. That helped (I was not outside when it was raining. We told them they had to stay on the deck where we could see them from the living room and just poked a head out every so often to count noses). My aunt and uncle's house isn't very large- it's their downsized, we're retired and empty-nesters house- but they have a nice deck and backyard, which is why we hold the summer gatherings there. But five kids age 6 and under, two teenagers, and 9 adults in that living room all at once is a little much.
Spent today at my aunt's house for our family (early) Memorial Day picnic. My cousin is graduating from high school the weekend we would usually do this, so we bumped it up. It went fairly well, although I was ready to head home about an hour and a half before we actually left, but that's typical. I spent a good while watching the kids in the backyard, which was a handy excuse to be more or less alone, aside from redirecting the girls every so often when they got too bossy with each other- the two older ones are 5 and 6, which is prime bossy time. They are also both the oldest in their respective sibling groups, so they're both used to being the ones making the rules. So, yes, there was yelling and there was pouting. Most of which I ignored- they need to learn to sort their own selves out without a grownup intervening- but I draw the line at completely overwhelmed, honest to goodness tears of frustration (the cryer was fine after a hug and a pep-talk and back out to the game in about a minute).
I also spent awhile being the human jungle gym for the baby, who is about 6 weeks older than my nephew, but about twice the size of my nephew. Seriously, this kid is nearly three feet tall already and he's not quite 10 months old.
And this let me mostly avoid my other aunt's husband, whom I still do not like. I keep hoping he's just fronting out of anxiety, but at this point, I think this is just who the guy is, and yeah, no. I can manage civil, though, and it's only a couple times a year, so it's livable. But man, my aunt has lousy taste in men.
At least it was warm enough that the kids could be outside, even though it was raining most of the afternoon. That helped (I was not outside when it was raining. We told them they had to stay on the deck where we could see them from the living room and just poked a head out every so often to count noses). My aunt and uncle's house isn't very large- it's their downsized, we're retired and empty-nesters house- but they have a nice deck and backyard, which is why we hold the summer gatherings there. But five kids age 6 and under, two teenagers, and 9 adults in that living room all at once is a little much.