Tonight was a climax with The Son. Lately everything has come down to how mean we are, how much more we love his sister and how it isn't his fault (someone else made him do it). Tonight he threw a tantrum when he first said he didn't want to go to dinner (and we even offered Souplantation) and then when we said we weren't going he wanted to go. He threatened to run away. He said he wanted to find a new family. He said we loved his sister more. Periodically The Husband and I looked at each other and stiffled giggles and periodically I had that horrendous feeling that I've failed miserably as a parent with my oldest child. Of course, none of this was lost on The Daughter who decided to pull her own long face out of a hat, shed a few tears, lay her body over mine and act as if the life had been whipped out of her. I almost thought that the sound of "the office" wasn't so bad. In the end, we held our own, The Son did walk out the front door.... and came in the garage door about a minute later. We did debate what we would do if he actually walked away from the house. We never came up with an answer... do you go after them? Let them have some time? Follow them at a distinct distance so they have no idea you're following them? I am consistently finding myself wondering if I'm suddenly coming into that time period with The Son where I simply don't get it. I'm a female and he's a male and there are certain things he does that I simply don't get. Often when I say "I love you" he says "Okay." If I hug him, he'll maybe listlessly throw his arms around my neck but then slouch and pull away after a minute or so. Maybe it's the age.... maybe I really have failed miserably as a parent :-) (said with a tainted laugh of doubt).

Today I went down to the mall to pick up The Husband's anniversary gift.... I left Nordstroms with these. Slightly less of a heel than the stiletos but still fairly high... I'm still deciding whether I shall keep them... I might go for something more strappy actually. I did manage to buy The Husband something I've never purchased for him before. I don't want to talk about it now on the off chance The Husband reads my blog. I'm fairly positive he doesn't. He has indicated that he feels this is my space and he doesn't impose.... I told him with 500 hits a day, well, an imposition is the last thing he'd be. We are leaving Friday for a weekend away up in Idyllwild at Strawberry Creek Inn. It should be lovely and freakin' cold.