Our St. Patty Pics and Story (trouble in 1st grade)

So first off, I'm really bummed that I didn't get to the corned beef and cabbage. I know?? Can you believe it?? For 3 days I have had my face into clothes, clothes and more clothes, trying to get things out of here and listed on Ebay. I forgot how time consuming that project is.

And boy is it a project.

So, I haven't made dinner for the last 3 nights. Lucky me!! Not so lucky kids and hubs. (though they really don't mind all that much. They're cool like that.)

Well, yesterday I had to get some pictures of my guys in their St. Patrick's Day clothes. (Because Yes, of course they have St. Patty's day outfits, and Easter, and Mother's Day and Father's hey any excuse I can have, I use. I think that's the excuses addicts use as well--oops)

So these are what me and Mr. B did. I started right before his brother was coming home so when he got here, we could do the boys together, and then put Mr. B down for his nap, and take Bubbas pictures by himself.

SOOC (meaning Straight out of Camera, if you don't know)- unedited. Sometimes I just like the natural "what you shot is what you got" look.

Ok, a couple weeks ago, when I took these pictures. He was good. Just sat there, smiled, looked around. It was unfamiliar territory.

Today, no such luck.

I got this,

and this.

a whole bunch of this.

I couldn't get a shot for nuttin'.

So I pulled out the props. The big guns. The things that I remembered I had in the house.

It got a little better.

For a while.

Then it was back to IG-nore. (and standing all by himself on a chair. with no hands!! PANICCC!!)

So I added another prop.

and another.

and then brother came home and it was all over. We were done with our fun.

He was not happy. I had to change gears.

He had gotten in trouble at school. He has never really gotten in trouble at school. He didn't know how to handle it. He was a crying mess. He didn't want to return, he HATED school, hated his teacher, and he was just sad.

I asked if we could take pictures?? Thinking maybe it would cheer him up. Sidetrack his mind. I got a "No!" and he put down his leprachaun trap. So I took a picture of the trap, because, I didn't have time the other morning when we were running out the door.

I think it turned out cute!! It got him to say something nice to me. He told me "I almost got him Mom, almost". Then he went back to sadness.

I let him go in his room and cry out his frustrations, sadness, whatever he was feeling, because sometimes, it just feels better afterwards.

As he was in his room and I was thinking about what had happened, (I got an email head's up from his teacher, so I already knew-she's great.)

I started to think...........

How ironic?? How weird?? He's never gotten written up at school before. Never really heard anything not good from his teacher.

I get him this shirt

and today he gets written up.

I started to laugh.

Then I decided to use the shirt as the scapegoat. GENIUS!!

(ok, not really. BIG mistake with this child, I later learn, how could I forget, the child with excuses. But it sounded good at the time, and hopefully make him better for a moment)

He totally bought it.

But then he started getting mad at me.

For getting him the shirt and saying it was MY fault and so I had to change that right then and there.

We talked about his decisions.

His choices. What he did was wrong.

(Long story short, he took a candy that was on the empty desk next to him, then lied about taking it to his teacher.)

After I assured him he could show his face at school the next day, and he would be O.K. "You gotta take your problems as they come and face them, straight up. Not try and run away." I said.

He asked some ?'s. I answered.

I asked him some questions and I think we got it worked out. At least for now.

Wow! This makes me feel old. or maybe grown-up is the word.

It makes me feel so in-ept as a mom.

I mean, this is 1 st grade. My 1st child.

I'm just getting started here.

What happens when what I have to say, he doesn't listen too. or worse, he doesn't even want to TALK to me??

Gosh, I better start praying now, for the future. I mean, more than I already do.

To make you have happy thoughts, instead of feeling sorry for me, or laughing about MY future, because you've already been there, and done that, or if you're scared of the future too. Let's just look at this and forget about what the future holds.

At least for now.