Last night seemed to be a night full of issues. Jeff picked up the children from Grandma's and as he walked in, I remember him saying..."Nicholas, it is 5:10 and we need to be at soccer at 5:30 so go in and get yourself dressed." Simple enough, yes??? Well, not if you are Nicholas and you have to argue about everything that comes your way. (Just like his Dad I might add!!!)
First it was the issue of not wearing his soccer socks and wanting to wear his white running socks he wore to school that day. Have you ever seen shin guards over white running socks? Yes!! RIDICULOUS! We told him that he needed to wear his soccer socks to cover the shin guards. That turned into wearing the soccer socks over the shin guards AND the white running socks. Well, now his cleats don't feel right because he has crammed everything but the kitchen sink into them. As an adult, I just want to yell, NO S**T but as a mother I calmly say "Honey, your socks are too thick and now your shoes aren't fitting." Of course it is the shoes fault and we now don't want to wear soccer cleats at all but other shoes that are definitely not for running. I try the whole "You wear soccer shoes because they help you run on the grass better and besides, they are part of your uniform." Crying and arguing ensues...
MEANWHILE, Jeffrey is walking around here looking for his little cooler that he takes to soccer practice filled with water bottles because it is still 100 plus degreees here. He can't figure out why it isn't in the kitchen on the floor where he left it. (I'll tell you why!!!) It has been over a month since Jeff took Nicholas to practice and the very last time he went, he came home, left the cooler and the 6 bottles of water that were in it, lid open, in the middle of the damn floor. I will admit that it stayed there for quite some time until I lost my brain and decided that the water could go back in the fridge and the cooler could be put away. He hasn't noticed until just now when he needs it again but I knew it was there everyday that I swept the floor or had to put dishes away.
As Jeff is busy looking for the cooler, Nicholas is totally frustrated, and the girls are in the classroom with 3 other children (yes, I'm still working), painting on the easel. Nicholas stops throwing his fit, is dressed for soccer, and decides that he too would like to paint a picture. It is now 5:30 and Jeff is ready to walk out the door...without the cooler (that is in the closet where it belongs). I see little puffs of smoke forming from Jeff's ears so I tell Nicholas that he needs to go. "No, just let me make this picture." You can do it when you get home. "No, I'm almost done" (hasn't started). Finally Jeff gives up and decides not to go to soccer. A couple of minutes go by and after all of the daycare children have gone, we come into the house and Nicholas is now ready to go. I inform him that soccer has already started and he argued his way through the last 30 minutes of life and he isn't going tonight. His world fell apart.
We talked it out, he probably won't pull this anymore, and when he is told about something and has a certain amount of time to do it in, he'll probably, hopefully, please God, do what he is supposed to do. We'll see what happens next Tuesday.
So now we are calm and brother and sister are playing so nicely in her room. I'm making dinner and Gabby is watching Barney. Calm before the storm I tell myself. Nah, the storm has already passed for the night. Just as I exhale, I hear screaming coming from the what I thought was the calm and peaceful bedroom. I run in, Isabella is crying so hard she can't catch her breath and I ask Nicholas what happened. I got the classic, "Nothing!!" Isabella stars breathing again and informs me that she wrote on Nicholas's arm with her pen (about the length of my finger in blue ink) so he bit her on the ear. That was not a typo and there were teeth marks on the ear and saliva in her hair. The adult wants to say "Are you freaking kidding me?" but the mother simply says, "Go to your room."
No blood, lots of tears, hugs, an apology, a quiet dinner and an early bedtime for all. I really must find a drink I like :-)
Nicholas's birthday was Friday and he had a weekend full of celebrations. Friday he celebrated at school with his friends where he took oreos and juice boxes, and his classmates made a book about him. I couldn't wait to read what his friends wrote about him but in classic schoolboy style, he left it in his desk. I'll have to wait!! Friday night, Papa, Grandma, and Great Grandma Rose came over for dinner. Uncle Mario, Aunt Shelly, and Juliette stayed for dinner too after delivering Nicholas's most favorite gift ever!!! (Stay tuned) Sunday was his big party with his friends, two bounce houses, huge cake, lots of ice cream, and gifts to make a little boy happy. 
Nicholas decorating his cake for dinner Friday night. I think he used every sprinkle in the cupboard. The cake apparently wasn't sweet enough.
Uncle Mario pulled up in front of our house and Nicholas screamed the loudest I've ever heard. I'm sure most of you in other states heard him but weren't exactly sure what it was you were hearing. He LOVES the game of tether ball, plays it at school every day, so Grandma and Papa asked Uncle Mario to make one for him. He made one for Jeff (back in the day :-)) so he is a second generation tether ball maker. Me, being from the East Coast, had NO IDEA what this was but this sport is now part of my everyday life and I'm catching up on all of the rules and wordage. In the cement of the tire is NICK 08 and this child is in heaven. My neighbors, however, can hear the chain banging against the pole at 7:00 in the morning but they too are all great sports. 
Nicholas and Gunga (rarely calls him Uncle Mario) playing the first game. Uncle Mario came equipped with gloves and tons of smiles. Everyone got their exercise that night!!! Both players are pretty good sluggers....not bad for a 7 year old and 65 year old!!!
Happy birthday Nicholas!!!
