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Tuesday, December 27, 2005

The Rush is Over

So I'm looking at the old picture that runs on this site of the kids and me, and I'm thinking Cara's grown about a foot since then, Ryan must have grown at least an inch or two since then, and I look pretty tired. I probably look more tired since that picture was taken, but really, it has to come down. There should just be a yellow smiley face there in our place. Or a picture of King Kong, screaming. That actually would be pretty apropos.

I was also reading some posts from last year, and they seem funnier than anything I posted this year. And I'm thinking, do incidents with the kids seem funnier after a certain amount of time has passed? Or am I just getting bitter, and the humor just isn't coming through at all anymore?

Speaking of being humorlesss: next year, Santa is wrapping up the TV remote in a big colorful ribbon. And THAT'S IT as far as presents are concerned! Because, officially, it's Day 2 of the Christmas break and I've given the ol' "Turn the TV off!" shout out about 30 times already. I'm reduced to having their FRIENDS over to break up the TV viewing.

Legos? Too complicated. Zero Gravity vehicle? Needs more charging and emptier walls (I guess. I think the North Pole is going to be getting that item back tomorrow). Chicken Limbo? We've done it twice. Time to pack it up, apparently. Hot Wheels? Never work like they do on TV. Harry Potter Scene It? Cara needs someone who knows about Harry Potter to play it with her, and that counts out her immediate famly. Simpsons' Clue? It's for "Ages 8 and Up," so she won't play it with Ryan, and I'm still trying to dig out from under, so I'm out. Therefore, TV is the obvious first choice for entertainment.

They got a lot of gift cards this year for Christmas. Which had Ryan begging to go to the mall this morning before breakfast.

Ryan: "What! I have a Build-a-Bear card! You don't have to spend your money!"

Is it pathetic or good training, the fact that he knows I'm not dropping any more cash for stuffed animals?

Ryan: "And I have a Toys R Us card! I can get more stuff there."

Yesssss!

Yesterday, in an effort to get away from the implosion that was our house, we went to the Museum of Natural History to catch the Darwin exhibit. Ryan made sure we brought the American Express gift card my brother Joe and his wife Jen gave him. The exhibit mentioned how Darwin was really into studying bugs and other small creatures as a young boy. What Ry got out of that was, he should BUY a $30 "Critter Cage" in the gift shop, which was really the only reason he agreed to go to the museum in the first place.

Me: "Ryan, you have cages like this at home."

Ry: "It's MY gift card. I should be able to buy what I want."

Me: "Ryan, there are no bugs to even catch this time of year."

Ryan: "But it's my credit card."

Me: "It's a gift card. And when the money runs out because you've wasted it on things you already own, that's it. You're not getting more money."

He pushed for a $5 bug trap thing. Which he can't use until spring because the tundra is currently frozen. I told him he'd have to try and not lose it before the ground thaws in three months.

Ryan: "Fine. Done. I'll tape it to my bed if I have to."

It's a warped theory of evolution at work.

--Catherine Schetting Salfino

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