Buttons I KNOW I have...

[rainbabies]

I swear I didn't smile for at least 3 years. I'm surprised my face didn't crack when I finally did it had been so long.

Oh...annie!!!! We must get together! Ds was so difficult his first 4.5 years. I can say that that the past two months or so, I have fallen back in love with my sweet 6 year old.
Hugs to all the mommies.

[Ladybug]

Kris, do you think there are any youth volunteer groups that Andrew could get involved in. Take some of the focus off of himself, give him something that's his own, feel grown up and somewhat autonomous, and keep him out of the house a little more so you can focus on the younger kid's needs. There are a lot of *amazing* volunteer groups that work for local causes and also travel internationally. There must be something out there that impassions him and focuses his energies. Maybe even give him a little perspective. Teenagers are so passionate and can bring so much energy to a cause (with a little direction).

Just throwing around ideas. I realize that you're primarily trying to vent, but I always appreciate the ideas that everyone throws around here.

[GreyhoundsRUs]

[peggyfromwastate]

Oh Kris... You know I'm living it with you... but I only have 1 teen and already when the twins hit tweendom, I'm just going to go find a cage somewhere. I will need the cage. The kids can take over the asylum...

We still have math wars every night... Kate will sass, roll eyes, etc., etc. and drag out the whole process for an extra hour, at which point it's really late... It's a cycle.

If you'd have told me 5 years ago the things I put up with now... I would've never ever believed it. The "picking your battles" thing is so hard. But if I were to punish her over every infraction, believe me... It wouldn't work...

And then add on *normal* attention attracting behavior by the younger kids- it's just an emotional war, isn't it!

Teenagers suck every bit of emotional energy out of you...

Needless to say, I can *totally* see the exact same scenario going down at my house.

And we did eat pizza last night. No time to cook, and no desire to cook something that no one wants to eat anyway...

I swear I didn't smile for at least 3 years. I'm surprised my face didn't crack when I finally did it had been so long.

Me too. My mom ended up buying two of the proofs for my senior pictures - exact same outfit and pose, but in one I was smiling, the other I was wearing my usual 'look of disdain'. I asked her why, and she said "This is the face I love (smiling pic), and this is the face I've looked at for the past 5 years."

I'm so not looking forward to it.

[PrincessFiona]

Me too. My mom ended up buying two of the proofs for my senior pictures - exact same outfit and pose, but in one I was smiling, the other I was wearing my usual 'look of disdain'. I asked her why, and she said "This is the face I love (smiling pic), and this is the face I've looked at for the past 5 years."

I'm so not looking forward to it.

Oh Lordy...why wasn't this in the kid manual when I picked him up from the cabbage patch?

[peggyfromwastate]

I just took Kate to get pics done. She had the wierdest forced smile/grimace in all of them. I said, you could at least try to get one decent smile, and she said, why? these pictures are for you.


*sigh*

[HouseofWool]

I just took Kate to get pics done. She had the wierdest forced smile/grimace in all of them. I said, you could at least try to get one decent smile, and she said, why? these pictures are for you.


*sigh*

I am so not looking forward to the teenage years.

[MrsK]

I just took Kate to get pics done. She had the wierdest forced smile/grimace in all of them. I said, you could at least try to get one decent smile, and she said, why? these pictures are for you.


*sigh*

Bet she would have felt differently if the photos were for her myspace profile . . .

[PrincessFiona]

Bet she would have felt differently if the photos were for her myspace profile . . .

HA...then she probably would have been making the peace sign and poofing up her lips...am I right, Peggy? sigh.

Kris

[Vishenka69]

Reading these I realize what a pain I was back in junior high and high school and feel so bad for my mom. I remember thinking how everything wrong with the world was her fault. Unfortunately I didn't begin appreciating her until I moved in with DH after college and needed her advice on living with a man. I hope your (collective) kids won't be as difficult.

Have I already posted this? Oh, the photos from jr and sr high. On my sixteenth bday I looked like was going to my grandfathers funeral instead of going out to dinner with him (and he gave me 16 roses). I was such an ass sometimes.

[DCJenn]

I think everyone who survived teenagerdom could say the same. I was pretty much an ass, too.

J.

[PrincessFiona]

My cousin's daughter was on Facebook and her cousin (my other cousin's daughter) is still on Facebook so I can see pictures of them. Oh, and I found first girl's photobucket and looked at her gazillions of pictures.....there were literally hundreds of her doing the stupidy kissy face/smooshed to the side kissy face (aka "myspace face") with the peace sign. Lots of bathroom photo shoots with peace signs in the mirror. Gag me.

I KNOW...stupidest thing EVER too....

Kris

[BonBon]

<fingers in ears>,

La la la, I can't hear you...

NO kidding! I better take up the booze.