Grandchildren

I love ALL my grandchildren - all of them.  Some just not at much at times.  Last night was a perfect example.

Lady Bug came over to help me put up the Christmas decorations - which meant outside.  She wanted to do inside as well - like a tree.  But dear Clyde is a chewer - at times.  He doesn't chew anything, but the count right now is Clyde -2, remote controls - 0.  He seems to love those little things.  So I am not going to put up my little Charlie Brown tree however easy it is.  I am afraid I will come home to a tree all over the house.  He is terrified of his crate - so...

Anyway, we had a delightful time.  I pretty much gave her her lead, and off she went.  We now have both sides of the yard decorated for the first time in several years.  I have a lot more decorations, but I didn't want to get them out, and she isn't able (especially in her cast) to put those things up.

Then came family dinner.  Then two of the three little ones (my son's kiddos) came.  The girl wasn't here  because she went to a production of  The Nutcracker.  This after her morning of having HER right leg soft casted to await a hard cast.  She and the older brother were playing on the elliptical while DIL was in the shower.  DIL is going to have to resort to evening showers when someone is there to watch those kids.  Read on for further reasons.

While I was holding onto Clyde  because the baby is freaked out by him, his older brother was in the hallway where the toy chest is - emptying the WHOLE thing out on the floor (which already makes my blood boil) to find a crayon (that shouldn't have been there, but sometime one of the six threw it in there in the hurried clean up to leave).  He then proceeded to write on two of the walls in the hall. 

He is a sweet boy.  He really is, but he is the one involved in the "accident" that morning, and he just doesn't seem to be able to control these actions.  He IS only 5, but still...   I don't think his dad saw this, and later I told him my walls were not for drawing, and that if he wanted to draw, I have A LOT of paper. He knows he will catch heck for misbehavior, but he gives in to impulses.  Hence my ruined walls and a sister with a broken foot.

Then the baby decided that he would chunk one of the large, hard toys at Clyde.  G was holding him while I was eating.   I heard the baby crying (he is almost 2), and poor Clyde trying to get away while being held pretty tightly on the leash to keep him away.  Of course, everyone was so worried about this kid.

So I guess I sound like a terrible Grandmother.  But last night was just horrible.  I still have things that belong in the bathroom closet out, the collection of Christmas presents about- needing wrapping, getting dinner for 12 done, a dog that is awaiting training and really means no harm - he loves (loved) children and people in general, and two of 6 kids acting like little demons.

Bah-humbug!  But the earlier time with LB was a delight!