Well, this holiday season has started off just like the last few..........with Austin being very, very NAUGHTY!
I have been trying to figure out when to take him to see Santa, but I really, really want him to be good, even if it is just for ONE day, before we go.
Here are just A FEW of the things he has been doing lately:
He has found - and eaten - more than his weight in candy, almost every single day. I don't know how he always manages to sniff out where I have been hiding the treats, but he does. Since he has been eating so much junk, he is not eating the healthy stuff, making him mean and very, very unreasonable.
He won't clean his room, he won't do his homework, he won't go to bed on time, he won't brush his teeth, etc., etc.
And another thing, he has now earned the code name "raccoon" because of his penchant for "borrowing" things. Little, shiny things. (Remember the
jewelry incident from last spring?) He actually came home from the live Nativity that our little town puts on with two little LED candles in his pockets. He swiped them from the luminaries they had, lighting the pathway there. I have also found many of the fake coins they use in school to learn how to count out money. I don't dare take him anywhere, because I'm afraid of what he may pick up "accidently".
Austin has been so naughty that our elf,
Nutmeg Jim, has even come and gone home already. Nutmeg Jim even brought Austin a lump of coal instead of a present, which Austin was able to trade in for a book when he got his room clean, with a LOT of help from yours truly. Once Austin earned the book, he kept saying "A book. I got a book." (Like, what was he expecting, a million dollars?) Funny thing, it was a book he had asked for (I think there was even some crying involved) a month or so ago. I told him to give the book a chance for 10 minutes and he LOVES the book. He was just being a pill.
Anyway, I have just had it with him. I am so DONE with him and his attitude. I THOUGHT I had it under control until last night. Earlier in the day, I had found what was a brand new bag of marshmallows in the family room. There was about a third of the bag left. I'm pretty sure I could figure out who had eaten them. Then last night Ally asked if she could have some marshmallows in her hot chocolate. We found the bag, EMPTY. Austin, of course, said "I didn't do it."
I blew my top and said those fateful words that I will NEVER, EVER be able to take back:
"When you see Santa I bet he will take you off his lap and throw you on the ground and JUMP on you!
Yes, I actually said "jump". Not something llike "accidently step" or "tiptoe around". Ally swears I threw the word "kick" in there too. I didn't know I had such violent tendencies hidden so deep inside of me. I wonder if I need counseling. (Actually I wonder if AUSTIN will need counseling.)
In reply, Austin ran BAWLING from the room. (Which is actually the same reaction he had when he got the lump of coal.) I was HORRIFIED! I didn't mean to say that at all. I really am not a mean mom. I'm probably in the situation that I am in with Austin being so naughty because I am too nice of a mom.
So, I've pretty much squashed any holiday spirit we were still hanging onto around here. Austin seems to have forgiven me this morning, but I still feel terrible.
(On the upside, I'm pretty sure that he still believes in Santa Claus, because I didn't know for sure until he got so upset.)
