January 29, 2012

There is serious controversy in our house!  Hazel is seriously pissed that Al is back home, which I find very odd.  They've been together since they were kittens, though they've never been super cuddly with each other, you'd think that they like each other at this point.  Apparently not.  It seems that Hazel quickly became acclimated to ruling the roost while Al was gone in kitty hospital those few days.  She's been hissing at Al every chance she gets.  We've been trying to give her extra attention, just in case she's feeling left out, but the more attention she gets the more evil she gets!  Last night I caught her blatantly peeing in Al's new kitty bed!!  She has a new kitty bed also.  She has had no interest in hers, but Al loves his.  Apparently this is unacceptable.  Sigh. 

The girls have just about been the same way with each other.  They're just snipping at everything the other one says and generally driving Ken and I crazy with their back and forth stuff with each other.  It's exhausting to listen to controversy continuously!  Finally, we'd had enough this morning and forced them to work a puzzle together before they could go to Sunday School or over to friends for Valentine making.  They've been very excited about Valentine making, and were working on it from the get go this morning.  With the threat of Valentine making on the line, the girls actually sort of started to work together.  They got the 100 piece puzzle together, but just barely in enough time.  When they had about 75% of the puzzle together they actually started to work together and hand each other pieces.  Did I mention that it is exhausting to listen to constant squabbling? 

We had a fun time over at our friends' house, Rachel and Brendon.  Of course, by the time we got there, the girls weren't much interested in crafting.  They each made a Valentine for Rachel and Brendon, and then they were done. 

I had been hoping to accomplish more today, but gave up the fight. 

Rachel made Teresa a choker.

They just wanted to play.  Addison and Brendon matched up and played nicely for the next couple of hours, as did Teresa and Rachel.  Ryan distracted the kids for a while by starting to make a loaf of homemade bread.

Of course, no one was ready to leave when it was time, but we did make it out of the house without too much excitement. 

We stopped at a grocery store on the way home.  Usually I do not get inundated with requests, as we usually have a list and stick to it.  Today however, it seems no list meant ask for everything in the store!  Thankfully it was mostly fruits and vegetables that they wanted, since that's mostly what this store has, but still.  They were denied chocolate covered carmel corn as we left and got a serious lecture in the car about being appreciative and grateful for what they get (since they each got several of their requested items).  This sunk in not at all.  As soon as we got home they were scrapping with each other again, so they got banished to the backyard.  The sun was setting and it was 55 degrees out or so, and they thought this quite chilly.  I made them stay outside for about 45 minutes (which they spent playing together on the play set) and then allowed them to come inside.  We had another big talk and Teresa's first comment at the end of it was, "Um, I really don't think that you need to be yelling....we're standing right here." 

This talk actually seemed to sink in...at least temporarily.  They were much better behaved and mannered for the rest of the evening.  Teresa offered to read Addison some bedtime books.  Maybe there's hope for them still?