The Set Up: We went to Disney World in the middle of June. Mistake number one! The four of us stayed in a hotel with two king size beds, a dresser, a desk, and a chair with ottoman. Mistake number two! We bought Leg-gos to occupy the kids while in the room.That took up all the floor space in our room for four of five days. Mistake number 3!
On this particular day, Gavin (age 7) had talked all day. Of course we let him because we were at Disney's Animal Kingdom. He was so excited , he couldn't stop asking questions and commenting on everything. Boy he has a lot of thoughts!! By the time we back to our room, only six hours later, I had to lay down and my Canadian Man had to sit and watch Sport Center in what seemed like peace and quiet. Gavin kept on chattering. He got a card trick at the magic shop and every 5 minutes was asking me to " pick a card any card"! Oh by the way , I am his new assistant and will reap 25% of all profits he makes at any of his magic shows. So far I am still $28 in the hole for the so called "trick cards".
We let the kids spend their money where they wanted and guess where that was? Yes, it was at the game booths at Animal Kingdom. Gavin won 3 stuffed animals, one of which he gave to a crying little boy whose dad couldn't get the basket ball into the basket. That child was sobbing and the poor dad felt awful. Gavin ran to us and said "hurry dad give me one of my stuffed animals". Bill retrieved one and handed it to Gavin who ran to the little crying boy and proudly presented it. That was a proud moment for us. Next Gavin attempted his hand at the basketball game and was lucky enough to sink two baskets which won him an even larger stuffed animal..Yea!!...It was amlarge purple and blue stuffed Iguana. Name: Bubby (said with an English accent like in Harry Potter)!
I had just gotten out of the shower and Gavin hits me with " pick a card, any card!"
"Gavin give me 5 minutes to get dressed and I'll play."
In a whiny voice say " no nooowh... pick a card!"
My response " no ice-cream for you tonight for not listening the first time!"
Gavin promptly responds "noooo! OK I'll listen" as he makes a u-turn out of the bath area.
Later that evening when we were getting big brother Sammy his ice cream, Gavin said "I want ice cream!"
"No you lost your ice cream privilege."
"Oh yea that's right I did." long pause....."Mommy, why did I loose my ice cream privilege tonight?"
Long pause ........Mmmmmm I can't remember but it was something.
A few minutes later I remembered... "Oh yea it was because you did not listen to me when I asked you to give me five minutes to get dressed. "
"Oh yea..." He turned his head down to his trick cards that he holds so dear and says under his breath "it was worth it!"
"What did you say Gavin?"
"I said it was worth it!"
I was getting upset that he thought his punishment was "worth it!"
I mean Mom is "I deserve the punishment because I did not listen!"
Gavin ate no ice cream, stroked Bubby's head all evening.
The next day Legos littered the floor in a billion pieces. Bubby was flying through the air across the room. Bill and I just sat in our bed. Bill watching Sports Center and I staring straight off in the distance. The boys were playing catch with Bubby's life. They giggled incessantly. Yes, the natives were getting restless!
We packed them up to go shopping, play putt putt and get a bite to eat. Bubby came along for the ride and so did those annoying cards. It was Bubby this and Bubby that... and if that were not enough Sammy started trying to find cars with Georgia plates. Every time he saw one he would YELL...GEORGIA! This was a game he had never played and was so excited about it.
