Week Two

Week two is almost over and we are starting to hit into a rhythm. I have even managed to follow the menu for the week, more or less. The best part is: Jayme is coming home for the weekend!! He has been so funny sending me pictures of the results of his various trips to Walmart for "man food" and odds and ends that he needs to make his own dinners so he doesn't have to eat out for every meal. I'm glad he is in a place with his own kitchen and even a washer and dryer (no bringing home stinky clothes for me to wash LOL). He is settling into a groove with work and figuring out what his responsibilities are. He has a lot of ideas and it is so exciting to hear that upbeat energy in his voice. Suffice it to say that I haven't heard much of that from him in his last year of previous employment.
We have started up a new discipline plan here at the house. As wonderful as the clones are, they have their moments (as do I) when we don't get along too famously. Raley is fast approaching an age at which little boys become bigger boys and the sweet babe you snuggled for the first few years of their lives turns into a hormonal man-child with a razor sharp tongue. I have met this version of Raley and I don't like him too much. He yells at me and acts out in frustration against his siblings. He apologizes a few minutes later but we are trying to work on controlling these things BEFORE they happen. So we have a system of rewards and consequences.
The consequences are things like:

• having to complete the chores of others (whoever he was ugly to)
• losing the privilege of playing outside with friends, using the computer, watching tv
• removal of a favorite item until he has earned it back with positive behavior
• What type of items? His favorite things right now are his combat boots, his camo clothes, his bow and arrows and other things he uses when playing outside

I am happy to report that I have not had to use these so far. I do give him one warning unless the infraction is severe. As for the rewards side of the plan, when the boys have gone all week without requiring the use of consequences, they get a reward. There are things like:

• Extra time on the computer
• A treat/toy on a trip to the store (low cost)
• An item that has been purchased for this particular purpose and worked towards
• Currently we have these belt buckles on our mantle:



This is what Clay is working towards






Raley's is working for this one

Of course, I chose the buckles and now Raley wants the GI Joe one and he is driving me nuts! Oh, well. We'll figure it out. He has done well this week in his behavior towards me, at least. And then he did something unbelievable! If you have known us for long enough you will recognize the little red guy in this picture:

 For those of you who don't know, that is "Rabbit" and in this picture (taken when Clay was two weeks old!!) he is almost brand new. The short story is that Jayme went to give blood and they had these little red dogs and he brought one home to Raley and they became inseparable. Raley saw the dog's long ears and named him rabbit and would loudly tell anyone who said it was a dog that it was not a dog! For the next several years, wherever Raley went, so did "Rabbit" and they slept together every night. Once we left "Rabbit" at Mimi's house and it was a hard few days waiting for him to come in the mail! Anyway, for the last year or so, "Rabbit" has stayed in bed, but is still well loved. The other day I overheard this conversation between my oldest and youngest children:
Raley: "Sissy come here for a minute!"
Pattie: "What what what?"
Raley: "I was wondering if you would like Rabbit to come stay in your room with your other animals?"
Pattie: "Rabbit?"
Raley: "Yeah, here he is. He's very special and soft. You can snuggle him in your bed or keep him on your shelf. But be very gentle with him."
When I read it over, it doesn't sound like much. But trust me, THIS IS HUGE! I was so proud and happy and filled with emotion over this little exchange. Raley really is growing up but he is still my sweet little boy too. And he loves his sister very much.
Week three shouldn't be too bad since we will have just seen Jayme and then will be with him again at the end of the week due to Spring Break. But let's not count our chickens before they hatch!