Splitting hairs

Brian had a horrible morning yesterday. Really, really horrible. I don't know what set him off, but suddenly all the anger and frustration that could possibly reside in a five year old boy was directed at me. During the car ride on the way to day care, I was told repeatedly how much he hated me.

How he never loved me.

How he would never love me.

How he would always hate me.

~Insert your own variations on the theme here - I'm sure you get the idea~

I calmly (and very Zen Mom-ly [Thanks, Molly!]) told him after each of these statements that I loved him, and would always love him, and nothing he could say or do would make me stop loving him. All of which is true.

But each of these statements was accompanied by kicking my seat, my arm, the middle console of the car (but mostly my arm and my seat), harder and harder and harder. Each of those kicks made it harder and harder to add the "or do" part of the above statement.

At one point, I reached back, and grabbed his ankle, and held it still. (And this is where Zen Mom disappeared for a few minutes). "STOP PUSHING MY BUTTONS" I said through clenched teeth.

"I'm NOT!" he said, as he struggled to kick my arm again.

"YOU ARE!" I replied.

"No, I'm not." He said it more firmly this time, and then explained himself. "I'm kicking you, Mom, there's a difference."

Oy. More irrefutable logic.

Random Thoughts

Brian was sitting down drawing before bed tonight, and I was enjoying the quiet of the evening when said quiet was interrupted by Brian saying in a loud voice "New Hampshire!"

I looked at him quizzically, and he responded - "I just thought of a state."

I asked him if there was anything in particular that brought New Hampshire to mind, and he said no. Ditto to thinking anything in particular about said state.

Just a random blip in the brain of a five year old.

__________________________
{Edited to note: I should add, there is a USA state map puzzle at his school, and he loves it - it's pretty neat, actually, it gives interesting little tidbits about each state. He knew that when we were headed to RI, it was the smallest state in the country. And he'll also randomly know what color each state is on the map... at least on the puzzle map, I'm not sure if he realizes that it could be different on every map.)

The Perfect Spot

We were at my brother and sister-in-law's house last night for a BBQ. Brian was having lots of fun playing with his older cousins outside. Suddenly, he barged in, wide-eyed, and explained "We're playing hide-and-go-seek, and I found the perfect spot to hide!"

I looked at him, and asked, "Inside is the perfect spot?"

He grinned, and looking quite proud of himself, explained "They'll never find me here!"

Sadly, the story loses something of its power without a picture of the wide-eyed excitement that accompanied it - the expression of pure joy was unmistakable.

We interrupt this blog for a Special Edition of "What X. Said" [AKA - Daddy, do you have something to tell us???]

While packing for a family trip this weekend, X came in and saw his swim diaper in the suitcase. We have a swim diaper for him that is cloth and nice and reusable and all that fun stuff.

He picked it up and said in his little voice "My swim diaper!"

I agreed. He saw his father's swim suit in the suitcase as well. He picks it up and says "Daddy's swim diaper!"

Um, Dan, do you have something to tell us???