One Too Many ....

...days off. There is no cause to have children home so much in February! I don't care if George Washington himself showed up, the kids should watch it from the safety of their school windows. My own, personal, MENTAL safety, that is.

Patrick is currently upstairs screaming that he is going to 'cry to death' and 'cry all the days' because he has finally had his little heiney swatted. Oh, he's been asking for it for awhile, but lately it's been more begging, and just a few minutes ago his need for a swatting reached a crescendo of brattiness. His new thing is to fling himself about the house, falling on the wood floors and flailing about because 'he can't walk because they're too slippery'. Now, since my housekeeping has reached appallingly low levels recently, I know that's not the case because the floors are so covered in grime that it's a wonder we're not all stuck to them! He has also taken every opportunity to heave himself on other people, particularly Josie and the dogs. The dogs, thankfully, are mild-mannered and put up with this crap, but Josie is another story, and she has every right to be annoyed, anyway. He doesn't listen to anyone telling him to stop for more than five minutes.

This last time, they were watching The Prisoner of Azkaban together, when Patrick started getting bored and bouncing all over the place. Josie asked him to stop several times, and then he started shrieking about her taking the remote from him. I reminded them that no one needed to hold the remote, since they were actually watching the movie, but that didn't help, so I said that since he was obviously bored, he should go and play in his room for awhile. Well, that did it. Scream central. 'I'm NOT BORED!!! I'M NOT BORED!!! NO!!!' So, rather than going upstairs, he sat and waited while I walked over to him, warning that if I got to him before he started upstairs, his bottom would be sorry.

What is it that makes kids wait for you to smack their bottoms? Does they really think, after all these years, that I'm not going to do it? I've always been a stickler for follow-through, and I don't issue these warnings idly. It's like they're thinking, now? Now? How 'bout now? Will she do it THIS time? I haven't had to smack their butts often anymore, especially Josie's, but seriously! So, he sat there like a screaming monkey, waiting for me to get to him, and then had the audacity to act surprised when I flipped him over my knee (my rule is one bun-swat per year, so five little swats, obviously not hard)! After that, he stomped upstairs, wailing that 'you always send me' to his room.

Oh, the tragedy of being sent to one's room, with toys, books and a comfy bed! Oh, no! I would definitely not like that.... no....please don't make me be ALONE.... :)

Tomorrow, there will be school again. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. DH did just call and say that he heard there may be another storm on Wednesday, though.... oh, no.....