Father's Day
So I got up @ 7 on Father's Day & started deep cleaning my house. Washed or cleaned EVERYTHING. Moved furniture, vacuumed, mopped...the deluxe package. I cleaned until 3, when I ran to Val's to pick up extra chairs, then I grilled, & then I showered.
Once everyone arrived, I was reminded that my house is not designed to hold so many people in such close quarters...at least not if they're related. Grandma & Grandpa came, Vic came (poor guy), Val came with Bella & Bubba, Dad & Gladys, & then my aunt. She had the usual children in tow (2 6-year old boys, a 4-year old boy, & a 14-year old special needs girl. She was fostering a 6-week old baby, as well. We were beyond maximum capacity.
Mac penned his very first "Do not Enter" sign for his bedroom door, & did his best to hide in there the whole time. I wished I could join him a few times.
Dinner went off without a hitch...everyone ate until they could eat no more. Then the boys got bored, & proceeded to drive me apeshit.
They were into everything. I'm t a doctor so I can't diagnose them, but my best guess? Of the older 2, one is willfully (& nearly GLEEFULLY) defiant. The other...I would say a mix of ADHD & OCD. He can't stay focused on anything except remote controls & phones, & if he sees something shiny he HAS to pick it up & play with it.
At one point Val runs a plate of food home to Brian. No biggie-I watch her kids all the time. Then I get to see the passive aggressive genes that run in my family at work in the older generation. My aunt ends up leaving the kids at the house to go buy milk. By this time everyone but Dad & Gladys had left (smart folks), so there were 4 adults left with 8 children.
Those of you with kids understand that groups of kids can go either way: a nearly unnoticeable, self-monitoring group or complete & total chaos exponential to the actual head count. Guess which one we had?
I put in "Cars" & we muddled through it. One of my cats was the object of the boys' attention for about 30 minutes until I showed them that she was NOT declawed & had much less patience than I. It was the longest 30 minutes of my life, & I've had some long 30 minutes.
But it's over. We've all learned something...I guess. I know that next time I'll spend less time cleaning & more time DRINKING. Ugh.
Once everyone arrived, I was reminded that my house is not designed to hold so many people in such close quarters...at least not if they're related. Grandma & Grandpa came, Vic came (poor guy), Val came with Bella & Bubba, Dad & Gladys, & then my aunt. She had the usual children in tow (2 6-year old boys, a 4-year old boy, & a 14-year old special needs girl. She was fostering a 6-week old baby, as well. We were beyond maximum capacity.
Mac penned his very first "Do not Enter" sign for his bedroom door, & did his best to hide in there the whole time. I wished I could join him a few times.
Dinner went off without a hitch...everyone ate until they could eat no more. Then the boys got bored, & proceeded to drive me apeshit.
They were into everything. I'm t a doctor so I can't diagnose them, but my best guess? Of the older 2, one is willfully (& nearly GLEEFULLY) defiant. The other...I would say a mix of ADHD & OCD. He can't stay focused on anything except remote controls & phones, & if he sees something shiny he HAS to pick it up & play with it.
At one point Val runs a plate of food home to Brian. No biggie-I watch her kids all the time. Then I get to see the passive aggressive genes that run in my family at work in the older generation. My aunt ends up leaving the kids at the house to go buy milk. By this time everyone but Dad & Gladys had left (smart folks), so there were 4 adults left with 8 children.
Those of you with kids understand that groups of kids can go either way: a nearly unnoticeable, self-monitoring group or complete & total chaos exponential to the actual head count. Guess which one we had?
I put in "Cars" & we muddled through it. One of my cats was the object of the boys' attention for about 30 minutes until I showed them that she was NOT declawed & had much less patience than I. It was the longest 30 minutes of my life, & I've had some long 30 minutes.
But it's over. We've all learned something...I guess. I know that next time I'll spend less time cleaning & more time DRINKING. Ugh.