Just When You Think It's Safe

I have always said that Matthew does everything about a year later than his brothers. He got off oxygen a year after they did. He was still on a bottle about a year after them. He ate table food a year after them. He walked a little over a year later than them. He was potty trained a little less than a year after the other two. You get the idea, right?

Remember last year, at my parents' house, the green Sharpie? I know I do, and I am pretty sure my mom still does. That incident was conducted by Robert, with Noah as his accomplice. Matthew sat innocently on the couch with Leigha. After that, I didn't think anything like that would happen again. I thought they learned their lesson and they did (for the most part).

Matthew, on the other hand, felt the need to follow along on his scheduled path. As a parent, you know there is something wrong when you round the corner and see one of your darling kids throw something to the side, walk with their head down, and hands covering their butt. Normally that means that Matthew has been playing with the remote control, but not this time!



I will not pretend to stay calm and collected. I am a hot head, especially since Noe had been away for almost 18 months. Matthew KNEW he was in trouble. There is not a doubt in my mind that he knew he was doing something he shouldn't. He's one smart cookie, just not smart enough to know not to set me off. Red crayon across the entire back of my semi-new couch is NOT the way to keep me calm and collected. I was pretty proud of myself, I don't think I even spanked him. I am sure my neighbors a few miles down heard me, but that's about it.

Matthew did not even try to leave time out once. He didn't cry, didn't complain, he didn't do anything but sit there. How long is too long to sit in time out? I don't think I was setting a time limit.



A few minutes after he fell asleep, he fell of the chair (which is actually a table). That wasn't the end of time out. I think I let him sit there for over an hour. Let's just say that he hasn't drawn on any other furniture or walls since then!