43 - I HATE BULLIES AND THE ICE CREAM MAN

I have NEVER been so furious in my life. I don't even think that the word furious comes close to describing the way I felt - and feel now. I was literally shaking, my heart pounding with adrenaline. Katie was playing across the street with her friends Jacob and Travis. There are also a boy and a girl that live in the house nextdoor, and they were playing basketball together. Well, most of them were, Katie and Jacob were running around playing chase. I was finishing up changing Connor's diaper and handing him to Chip when I looked out the window just in time to see one of the boys SHOVE my daughter to the ground. I tore out of the house, ran across the street to take my sweet crying baby in my arms. "what did you do to my child?!?!?" are the words I was screaming as I raced across the street. And this boy lied, straight to my face. "I didn't do anything to her." I watched him! I saw it with my own eyes! This 10 year old boy shoved my 5 year old girl down!! Of course I told him that he was never allowed at our house again. When I asked if his Mom was home he lied again. "No" His sister said yes, then the Mom must have heard and decided to come outside. I barely restrained myself from shoving that boy down as hard as he pushed my girl. I barely restrained myself from teaching that boy to NEVER touch my child again. This is the same boy I had to make leave my house last week for throwing a cup of Kool Aid on another girl, heard him tell someone they have a "hairy butt" (both of which he lied and said he did not do), and he bit another boy on the finger. Oh, then later that night his mom came over with $2 worth of quarters in her hand that he said Katie had given him. My girl does NOT let go of money. He and other kids like him are the reason that I sit outside to watch my child play. If he ever does touch my child again he is going to get a lot worse than a spanking from his mother.
Also, I was asking Katie about it while she was taking her bath. Apparently this all started when he threw something at Jacob and made him cry. Jacob is 4!! What right in any world does a 10 year old have to hurt a 4 year old. They weren't even playing with them!

And ---- I HATE THE ICE CREAM TRUCK!!! RIP OFF RIP OFF RIP OFF!! It came down our street twice today!! I told Katie and Mia that I was not buying ice cream today and they jumped on their bikes and went to ask Mia's Mom! Well, they will be in for a surprise because we have teamed up, we each will only buy them one day a week. $2.00 for one ice cream as opposed to $4.00 for a box of the same stuff. Nah, I don't think so! Did I mention that they probably had at least 3 popsicles each already!! I can't even imagine how much they are going to go through this summer. I have been buying those boxes of popsicles that are like 18 for $1 so it does not hurt as much.

On a calmer note, Katie and I made a late discovery yesterday in the backyard. I found the remnants of a robin egg when I was checking out my rosemary bush (yes, it is that large) so I started to look for the nest. It was right on the corner of the gazebo area of the deck. Of course I had to climb up and take a look, and there was still one egg left. I am fairly certain it is a dud since I was not being divebombed by angry parent birds. Katie - fearless creature that she is - climbed up on the rail today to look in and said the egg was gone. Katie's friend Mia came to the backdoor and I expected Katie to be right behind her, and then I saw her perched on the railing!! There was another adrenaline rush moment.
She told me later that it had "hatched", and I was not going to tell her otherwise. Maybe they will return to the same nest next year and I can get some good shots of their progress.



this is Jacob, Katie, Travis, and Mia watching a movie on Saturday. See how nice it is when they are all about the same age!!

And just because they are ADORABLE...