Adjustments

School started this week and we've all had a few adjustments to get used to: getting up early, long days, etc. One adjustment that James is having a hard time with is missing his siblings. He gets so excited when I tell him it's time to pick them up at school - it's terribly cute! But on that first day....

I was making lunch in the kitchen while he was playing with Duplos. When I'd finished making the lunch I went to go find James....who had migrated to my bedroom and had dumped the contents of my makeup bag onto my bed. Luckily he hadn't figured out how to open the little cases, he was just content on banging them together. I scolded him, put him out of my room and cleaned up the mess.

When I'd finished cleaning the mess I went to find James....who had snuck into his sisters' room and pulled their mirror off their wall. Luckily he hadn't broken the mirror! I scolded him, put him out of their room and cleaned up the mess.

When I'd finished cleaning THAT mess I went to find James...who had gone into the front room, pulled my purse off the table and proceeded to dump out the contents. Luckily everything was still in that pile and he hadn't hidden anything yet. I scolded him, PUT HIM IN HIS BOOSTER SEAT (see? I can learn!) and cleaned up that mess.

UNFORTUNATELY, by the time all the messes were cleaned up our sandwiches had gone stale and he didn't want to eat any of it.

James had an early nap that day.

Yesterday we went to the mall to play in the play area (I'd thought that I perhaps had neglected him a bit the previous days, getting the kids ready for school and all, so I decided to have just play/fun time with him). Apparently he wasn't in the mood to play, but to get in trouble more. He kept trying to leave the play area, climb up on the benches and walk/run/jump on them, and dump stuff out of the stroller. Just when I was wondering if we should abandon the whole thing...he got off my lap, walked up to a little girl (about his age - who was absolutely gorgeous, by the way) and slapped her across the face. I no longer wondered. We left.*

James had an early nap that day.

Today we're going to a friend's house to swim in their pool. Here's to hoping he doesn't damage their house, or pull the plug on the pool or something. He'd find a way!

* Of course, we left after I apologized PROFUSELY to the parents and scolded James and made him say sorry (which, to him, is to look at someone with a sad face and attempt a hug. The little girl did NOT want a hug!).