Trip

I wanted Bohdin and Nyla's help cleaning up the mess they had made in the basement on Friday.  This is not an unusual request.  Nyla doesn't care for cleaning and usually sits around making up excuses or saying she is cleaning when it looks more like playing or just laying.  Bohdin doesn't like cleaning either but he will help.  Friday I got mad at Nyla.  It isn't fair to Bohdin and I that she not contribute at all.  After cleaning for a few minutes I had to come to the kitchen to check on dinner.  Nyla was in the kitchen getting a snack.  I was mad that she was refusing to clean up at all so I told her that if she wasn't able to clean up toys she would not be getting the Playmobil toy for her birthday.  (Bohdin told her about the present a few weeks ago) She went down to the basement crying.  Bohdin came up and told me that Nyla was crying and asked me what was going on.  I explained what I had said and he went back down to the basement to encourage Nyla to clean.  He tried so hard but she really didn't want to.  Unless Bohdin can change my mind, I'm not going to give it to her.

Nyla is not completely opposed to cleaning or helping out.  She helped me pack last night and she often empties the washing machine or drier.  If she is in the right mood she will help out but that mood doesn't come often enough. 

Bohdin's friend J-, came over on Friday.  We went to the playground for a while but it was hot and buggy.  We came home and they went to the basement but they just weren't clicking.  Bohdin likes to play with Nyla best.  He has broken her in as a playing companion.  I understand the feeling because I liked to play with Paul the best when I was young.

We were supposed to leave on our anniversary trip yesterday but the minivan thwarted us.  It was odd that on last year's trip the battery died and this year we had a massive flat tire that necessitated two new ones.  We'll be leaving this morning instead which is not a big deal.  We're celebrating late this year because Buddy was busy at work in June and through the first part of July.  This year we will be spending a week in Michigan which is the longest anniversary trip we've ever had.  Back in May I pitched three states, West Virginia, Michigan, and Wisconsin.  The kids liked the Wisconsin plan the best but Buddy liked Michigan.  We'll try for Wisconsin next year which I think will be better with a nearly two year old than one year old.