The Year of the Rat

The rat is the first sign in the Chinese zodiac, so this Chinese New Year will ring in a time of renewal, a restarting of old cycles.

There are a few cycles that could use restarting, here, for sure. Like the one where I say "no" to something Owen wants to do, and he melts down like a 3 year old, whining at a siren pitch. In the next part of this cycle, I ignore his whining, and because I'm not responding to his nasally pleas, "Mommy? Please? Pleeeease mommy," he starts going, "Mommeeeeee....Mooommeeee? Mommmeee!!!!! Mooooooommmmmeeeeee?!?!?" until I want to drive off the overpass (because this cycle often takes place in the car on the way home from school when Owen is burnt out, tired, and ready to unleash his demons upon his home sweet home where we will love him despite his obnoxious behavior).

Or the cycle when I tell Mitch to stop doing something like, oh, lying on his back and kicking the wall with all his might while the baby is sleeping and I'm trying to read him a bedtime story. Part 2 of that cycle is Mitch lightly kicking the wall, keeping one eye on me to gauge my reaction. Next I lower the book and glare. Then he barely kicks the wall, softly oh so softly. Then I say, "Next time you kick the wall, I'm closing the book." And he turns over and in the turning over "accidentally" kicks the wall. I close the book and Owen, who is also listening to the story, says, "Noooooooo! Mommmeeee! Nooooo! Momeeeee?! Pleeeeease!"

Or the cycle of Paige at the end of lunch time, holding her hand out and asking, "Mo?" and, when I give her more, tossing it down and declaring, "Ah doh." But she's not really all done, so when I try to take the food away, she bangs on the high chair and squawks, "Mo! Mo!" So I give her more and...I bet you can guess the rest.

Or the cycle when John and I stay up too late every night and then fall asleep the next night while putting the kids to be only to wake up at 10:30 pm and then stay up too late again because we had a cat nap. Or the one where we spend money on frivolous things like take out and movies over the weekend after payday and then have to ration the rest of the money for 2 weeks or else we won't have food or gas or preschool tuition.

Sigh. Happy year of the rat. Here's to moving forward. I can't imagine the joys our new cycles will bring.