Holy Temper-Tantrum Batman!

We are balancing on that tenuous cusp between summer and fall here in the Hudson Valley. Some trees have just a blush of fall color while others are stubbornly green. The little town of Millbrook was having a community day so my mom and I decided that it would be nice to walk around town with Gav and see what there was to see. We were crossing a road and Gav dropped the ball that someone had given him and he stopped dead in the road and jerked his hand away. I made him go to the sidewalk and explained that he couldn't stop in the middle of a road where there were cars. "BAM" "POW" and then "holy temper-tantrum Batman!" He wouldn't hold my hand or his Grammy's and wouldn't walk so I would push him. That ceased to work so I picked him up and carried him back to the car like a 50 pound kid-shaped football. I thought it was nice that we had done our part for community day---I got to share Gav's tantrum with the whole town! There was this couple there with nicely coiffed hair and wearing matching Skipper and Muffy sunglasses and subdued coordinating Ralph Lauren sitting behind their booth. The sign had a Yin-Yang symbol on it and said something about teaching people to have peaceful lives in tune with nature. I told my mom I should drop Gav off at the booth and see what they could do with him.

In a matter of one block the t-t kicked into advance t-t and he was kicking and trying to bite me. When I finally could hold him down long enough to strap him into his car seat he threw the water bottle that was in his cup holder before I could grab it and water then spilled all over the floor of the car. Gav was too busy screaming to notice the lovely tinkling sound of the water washing over the floor. I had to drive mom back home and then drive back to my place and the whole time I was listening to the lovely lullaby of screaming and blubbering about how he needed to apologize to "my Grammy." I guess if people really knew what they'd be up against with kids before they decided to have them, no one would procreate. I had to steel myself to keep driving instead of pulling over and hugging him and saying "it's ok, lets go back so you can apologize to 'your Grammy.'"

The big red rimmed eyes and salty tears on their cheeks could melt an iceburg. I knew I had to hang in there though. Once in his room he threw his stuffed horse, Buttons. So Buttons is sitting next to me now with his head leaning against the back of the couch with his glassy marble eyes soulfully staring me down.

Gav's in bed for a nap, a nap that he really shouldn't be having so that I can keep him on his school schedule. He calmed down and apologized and I explained to him why he can't stay at Grammy's tonight.

Even the best plans can change faster than you can say "Holy Temper-Tantrum Batman!"