peace

Things have been pretty calm here at the ol' McGrew household. Of course, "calm" is very relative. We still have a pterodactyl-imitating, party-in-the-middle-of-the-night whirling dervish living with us---but essentially all has been well. The only update is that Ian started wetting his pants at school. He does this periodically---he really doesn't understand what all the hullabaloo is about putting one's waste in the toilet, and occasionally he goes on strike and just pees as the spirit moves him. In these instances we have to beef up the reward system (I'll give you jelly beans if you go pee-pee in the potty!), and we also have to make liberal use of time-out. For Ian, time-out consists of sitting at the kitchen table with his head down. This always makes me feel guilty. I know he has to suffer consequences for unacceptable actions, but watching him sit there with his head on the table patiently waiting for his sentence to end tugs at my heartstrings. He may have a young man's body, but he is still such a little boy inside. Luckily, this episode of wetting his pants was a one-day affair, and he's back to toileting as usual. I can just hear the conversation he is having in his head "What is the big deal about peeing in the potty--it is sooooo much more convenient to just let her rip right when I need to! The big people seem to really have an uptight attitude about wet pants and underwear. What's up with that? Oh, well."  Another monologue he could be having is "What's with the clothes thing---I want to be freeeeeeee!" Ian loves being naked. Given half the chance, he sheds his clothes and gallops around the house with ferocious joy and abandon. A not uncommon phrase in our house is "Put your pants on Ian!" We are very vigilant when there are guests--no telling who would have a heart attack if Ian came bounding down the stairs in his altogether laughing maniacally.

Such is life---did I say things have been calm?