Our first fight…

I am not even sure you would call it a fight, but Ian and I had it out…it was our first time that I am pretty sure we both broke each other’s hearts.

Before we left town to go visit Eric’s parents, I decided it was time to start getting rid of stuff – we have too much stuff – stuff is everywhere and I am feeling suffocated by it.

So of course I start with other people’s stuff – not mine!

No really (well, really I did start with Ian’s stuff) BUT his 5^th birthday is coming up and I know he will be getting more stuff.  So I started digging stuff out of the closet to sale on craigslist.  We had been reading a book from Chick Fil A about a garage sale – he seemed to get the idea.

We made piles.

Piles to put of craigslist.

Piles to 100% keep.

Piles to think about.

We got home, we went through the piles again.

We were settled on the pile to put on craigslist.  And it was agreed upon – whatever money he made on his stuff, he could buy new stuff with (I KNOW, totally defeats my purpose of getting rid of stuff)!

Pictures were up on craigslist, stuff sold.

We went to Toys R Us to buy new stuff.

We get home, he and Eric are playing with new stuff and then the inevitable happened – he noticed something that went to a boat we sold….ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE

“Mommy, how could you do this to me?  I didn’t say I wanted to sell that.  I earned that as a prize. (Which yes he did – FOR POTTY TRAINING – how did he even remember this?!?!?!?) You did this on purpose…..”

And on, and on, and on.

It was bad – my heart was broke.  I tried to explain to him that no, I didn’t do this purpose.  That no, it was never my intention to hurt him.  That no, even though he was mad at me, he was not allowed to speak to me in this way. That no, he did NOT get to keep the new toys if we got the boat back. That no, I couldn’t take the crying anymore.

He was hurt, mad and confused.  I was hurt and mad.

So what happened?

I made him a deal.  I bought a new boat from Amazon (although he thinks I just got it back from the guy who bought it) and I made him take his toys that he bought with the money from the boat sale back.

I felt like a failure – like the lesson went unlearned because I caved, but I just couldn’t fight anymore.

AND to add insult to injury, Ian told Gina, “did you know that my mommy sold my very favorite toy? My favorite boat – she sold it.”

I told him he better play with this d*mn boat EVERYDAY!