Hangin' at the Car Wash
Lunch
The Red Swing
Off Duty
Things are pretty rough around the edges here. Alex isn't in any pain exactly....the problem is all the related emotional fall out from his broken leg. We are dealing with very very unsettled nights for everyone, some very out of character temper tantrums, full on shaking physical/emotional meltdowns over the tiniest thing and a constant need for Mama to do EVERYTHING.
I'm tired. I'm confused. I would be cranky if I didn't feel so bad for him.
I don't have the answers. It's hard to figure out what he needs. One part of me is desperate to make sure he doesn't get "spoiled". I have been very strict about keeping his please's and thank you's intact. His leg is broken - not his manners. I'm trying not to tolerate whining. But. But...his main outlet for his frustration right now is verbal. He usually expresses himself verbally and right now he hasn't got much else. Which means an unusual amount of whining, screaming, yelling, crying and demanding.
It isn't all bad. There is plenty of good. But our whole family rhythm is off. And that is hard.
Today I left Stephen to work and took the boys out of the house. Car wash (entertainment! and a clean car!), lunch out, a park visit (Alex managed more things than I though possible with his cast), a bookstore run, and finally landing, as we so often do, at the surrogate grandparents house.
Which is where my children are loved. And entertained. Where I can finally sit still. Talk and be heard. Listen and enjoy. Get good advice and feel everything settle a little.
And so, of course, in the middle of everything, I find - yet again - how very lucky and how very blessed we are.
