Spencer's Super-Happy Fun-Time Right-Wing Word Pit

So...
What a week.
Roxann and I started watching Heroes this week due to peer pressure. I must say... It did start a little slow but has really picked up speed. With 3 episodes left, Roxann and I are on the edge of our seats in anticipation of what will happen. Will Hiro stop the bomb? Will Nathan continue to be a complete tool? Will anyone who incapacitates Sylar actually behead him and get it over with instead of monologuing and trying to understand him thus meeting a horrible fate and not stopping the most evil dude in the world? Will we finally go to bed before midnight? All will be answered this week as we finally finish season one. Stay tuned.

We trunk-or-treated this weekend with a ward up in Antioch (near Nashville) with some friends of ours that recently moved from the ward. We had some good fun. Benjamin was dressed as that famous satanic pagan, Harry Potter, Matthew as Tigger and my little princess as a fairy. Pictures will be added tonight. In the mean time, I have substituted this random comic book cover for your amusement. Caitlyn tried to remove her costume because she did not want to wear it. We won that battle as she finally sank into a stage of acceptance. Matthew embraced and embodied all that is Tigger. On the way home, it was late, all were asleep in their car seats except for Matthew; he had chewed through his share of candy and was glassy eyed and nervous. A look back into his wide, saucer eyes and his exclaimation of "I'm not tired!!!" was enough to contemplate an intervention on his behalf for a sugar problem. When we got up Sunday morning, the kids had found the candy. Oops. Matthew was sitting over the bowl eating as fast as he could because he could hear me coming down the stairs. Benjamin was huddled in the corner by the couch facing the wall looking about like a nervous chipmunk, protecting his stash. When I had finished getting the candy bowl and emptying Matthew's hands I moved to Ben.
"Ben?"
He looked at me over his shoulder. Sucker in mouth he spat: "What?"
"Let's have it."
He reached under the couch in the corner and turned over several handfuls of candy.
"...all of it."
He sighed and surrendured at least 2 more handfuls of candy.

I did learn this week just how much Caitlyn play-acts to get her way or express herself. After a bath last week, I withdrew Matt's soapy naked body and wrapped him into a towel. As usual, I swiftly dried his hair, admonished him to get dry then dressed and sent him on his way. Next came Caitlyn. Not wanting to exit the frothy bubble bath, she laid down into the bubbles on her tummy. She got as small as possible hoping I would not be able to get her. I asked her to stand and exit the tub. Without a word, she shook her head defiantly, letting me know that her answer was negative. I continued to ask her to get up and exit the tub. No. So, I threatened her.
"Caitlyn, I am going to count to 3. One... Two... Three..." She did not budge.
"Caitlyn, I will swat your butt if you do not get up." I counted again.

Gently, I reached in and hoisted her wriggling body up and stood her on the rug and wrapped her into the towel. I then gave a firm, but soft swat to her butt. She thought for a moment and let out a horrific scream.
"OW OW OW!!! HURTS!!! OW OW OW OW!!!"
Crying and screaming I couldn't help but giggle a little. I barely touched her! So I took her, screaming and writhing to the changing table to dry and dress her for bed. She stopped screaming. Then, I had an idea. I reached over and touched her bottom. Just touched, not swatted, touched.
"OW OW OW OW OW!!! HURTS!!! OW OW OW!!!" she screamed as she pointed at her backside. I finished getting her dressed and set her down on her feet. She looked at me. She then went downstairs and told Mom on me.

So I am learning that boundaries really upset Caitlyn. She wishes to have free reign of house. We have a baby gate that we put up sometimes for various reasons. On several occasions we see Caitlyn content and playing with her toys. Dad gets up for whatever reason and puts up the baby gate. Caitlyn, seeing that the gate is up, gets up, and begins to cry. Then she staggers over to the gate through her grief and hangs on it screaming "No! No! No!" Like the chick from King Kong who was tied up at the gate, she hangs limp, screaming, and crying for the gate to come down. It's kind of amusing really, but I scares me for what may be to come.

Oh well.



Spence