Wild Animals, Thumb Sucking and Survival

School is officially out tomorrow. There was a time that I was excited for school to be out. It meant that I get to sleep a little later each morning and didn't have to have the homework fights every night. But I'm just not looking forward to it this year.

Although the 17 year old has a job, I've still got a 13 year old and 4 year old, along with the 4 month old baby, here; and they fight constantly - about everything. And the 4 year old has tattling down to an science: he tattles about things before they happen.

Then add to the fighting and running through the house like wild animals, the phone keeps ringing off the hook with calls from Mr. 13's girlfriend. Funny thing is, I don't know why she calls - he just sits there with an occasional "uh huh" and "yeah" tossed in to let her know he's still on the line.

Maybe I should reconsider the cell phone. Then I wouldn't have to hear the phone ringing; and maybe she would get more of a response if they just texted.

But I'm not a fan of 13 year old's having cell phones; especially if they are like my son where they would lose their head if it wasn't attached to their shoulders.

This child lives in a 10 x 12 room, but somewhere it must have a trap door because so many things go into that room that will never come out. How in such a small space can you lose stuff?


And Princess A has begun sucking her fingers. Ugh! Mr. 13 went through the same thing, finally breaking the habit at age 3. But her thumb-sucking 4 year old brother is still at it. I'm not sure he'll ever quit - well, until one of his high school buddies teases him into oblivion about it.

Of course that will screw with his self-esteem. Traumatize him for life. But at least he won't be sucking his thumb on his honeymoon, right?

I'm just not too sure I'm going to survive this summer. It's definitely going to be interesting.

Maybe I can take up finger or thumb sucking as a stress reliever.