Arizona Chickens

[Mikey D]

Quote:
I call the scooter Aunt Fanny. Does that count?

 

[squeakyballs]

Quote:
Is that a confession?

 

[squeakyballs]

My 3 year old is at 90% on the a-hole meter today. I think it is the heat. When he was supposed to be napping he destroyed his baby-book (the one I had spent hours and hours on), then he colored the carpet blue, thew a huge tantrum when I told him we had played enough Angry Birds, and when I asked if he wanted to visit grandma (who has air-conditioning!) he punched me.

 

[Mikey D]

TT! :

My 3 year old is at 90% on the a-hole meter today. I think it is the heat. When he was supposed to be napping he destroyed his baby-book (the one I had spent hours and hours on), then he colored the carpet blue, thew a huge tantrum when I told him we had played enough Angry Birds, and when I asked if he wanted to visit grandma (who has air-conditioning!) he punched me.

Hmmmm...

Ratcheting tie downs work quite well as child restraints.

When you let him loose he'll be so happy!

Instant appreciation!

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
Literally....

THe boys were not listening, and being a bit out of hand. 60% on the kid a-hole scale. I was busy telling Chatterbox to stop pushing the cart (a common problem anywhere I take him) when we hear this minor crash and a stream of cursing.

Then some youngish lady in the next isle over stands up and starts yelling, "SERIOUSLY!! SERIOUSLY!??" and is yelling at what appears to be nothing. Since I don't speak Grey's Anatomy, I was confused. I asked her what happened, and--- in-between yelling at nothing--- she started yelling at me(?) to control my (&(*%% kids.

I walk forward and see BamBam hiding behind a smaller "drugstore" cart. I couldn't see it over all the plants on the display islands. I guess he was pushing the little cart around--because he wanted to be like Chatterbox and Noel, and since he can barely reach the handle, he wasn't watching where he was going. He dumped the lady into some plants and bashed her shins.

So---since at this point I am still not sure what happened---I ask "Did he hit you? OMG I am sooooo sorry, I know how much that hurts, are you ok, OMG I am so sorry. I've got bruises from the tricycle. He's just a baby, ouch are you ok?" Or something like that. I was still trying to assess the situation.

But the souless barren wasteland of a person continues yelling BamBam. I think. She didn't seem to be looking at me---maybe she thought Pastrymama was his mom? It went on for a little while, as it is hard to navigate Baker's with multiple carts & kids. When I got to the scene of the crime, BamBam was OBVIOUSLY contrite, or as contrite as a crap-head little 2 year-old can be. Wasteland storms off, still saying awful things, goes up front to complain, and gives us dirty looks. I may or may not have said something nasty back. I could have possibly, or possibly not have creatively called her the "c" word. Loudly.

Pastrymama and I went into the greenhouse to "collect" and talk to BamBam. I was a little embarrassed for getting riled up, but Pastrymama was just as mad as I was.


SO: Some notes to Wasteland:

First: Don't yell at other people's kids unless it is an emergency situation.
Second: Don't piss off a fat lady carrying around a pitchfork.
Third: Popular catch phrases like, "SERIOUSLY?" or "COME ON!" or "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?" Mean jack crap to a 2-year-old. You have to use your big-people words, in concise sentances, spoken in a manner which relates your reaction and/or feelings into a manner which he can understand. ie- "No no! You have to be careful-careful, otherwise you are going to crash and hurt my legs."
Fourth: If I get the vaguest suspicion you might push that cart to knock him over in some petty retaliation, I will follow you home and kill you in your own kitchen.

you cannot imagine how laree kept her cool. i almost jumped over the plants to beat her with a tomato and he's not my child. but holy crap, don't yell like a banshee at a 2 year old that's not yours! i should have offered her an ativan and a lollipop

after we got to the greenhouse i pulled out my candy stash of cajeta suckers and bribed laree's sweet angels to be good, but told them if them weren't, i would rip the sucker right out of their mouth and into the trash it would go. chatterbox's eyes got wide, but he was good and no one lost their candy

he asked me why i had candy in my purse and i said, because the twins and the little prince need to be bribed sometimes so i will always have candy. they are sweet boys.

I can understand being in pain and upset from being run into with the cart, but heck, yell at the parent, not the small child if that's what you feel you need to do. (Which is still really stupid when the parent is profusely apologising).

I need to rake out my pens, which will yield lots of ratty, frayed feathers (many stuck together with chicken poop). Anyone got some tar? Then we can properly reward the "lady" for her outburst. Y'all DID take down her license plate so we can find her to enact appropriate retribution, didn't you?

 

[Arizonachicken]

TT! :

My 3 year old is at 90% on the a-hole meter today. I think it is the heat. When he was supposed to be napping he destroyed his baby-book (the one I had spent hours and hours on), then he colored the carpet blue, thew a huge tantrum when I told him we had played enough Angry Birds, and when I asked if he wanted to visit grandma (who has air-conditioning!) he punched me.

I feel better now. At least I know my kids aren't the freaks of nature I thought they were. I have a 6 year old, a 4 year old and a 3 year old...all boys. So someone is consistently running at about 70% on the meter. Someone is ALWAYS doing something. My 18 month old is a girl, so I cant use the a-hole meter on her...yet. Same for the newborn, he's just a cutie.

 

[tightwad]

Quote:
Nope - my house...

I'd like to put the coop/run against the house and was wondering if the chickies will damage the siding or be damaged by it.

Silly internet typing thing!

It'll get messy, for sure. If it were me I would put a couple more coats of paint of it previous to construction, and silicone caulk. The idea being to be able to clean it without damaging it, and to be able to move it later without it being obvious afterwards.

We had our last coop/run up against the house but it's stucco. Didn't have hardware cloth on the house side just put it right up against it. I did give it a good extra coat of paint before we put it up. It got a little messy but not too bad and cleaned up fairly well. The black widows loved to lay their eggs between the house and the wood frame though.

This time the pullets are up against the block wall and the scorpions just eat the spiders I guess.

Edited because I can't make a complete sentence.

 

[Mahonri]

Not as hot today... but MUGGY.

How come we don't get ANY rain?!?!?!?!

Meg has someone already purchased those Ameraucana hens??? If not I want to.

 

[squeakyballs]

Quote:
I feel better now. At least I know my kids aren't the freaks of nature I thought they were. I have a 6 year old, a 4 year old and a 3 year old...all boys. So someone is consistently running at about 70% on the meter. Someone is ALWAYS doing something. My 18 month old is a girl, so I cant use the a-hole meter on her...yet. Same for the newborn, he's just a cutie.

I'll be jealous when they are grown up and you have lots of grandchildren, but I don't know how you manage. I'm afraid to have ONE more. You have FIVE?!

 

[Arizonachicken]

TT! :

Quote:
I feel better now. At least I know my kids aren't the freaks of nature I thought they were. I have a 6 year old, a 4 year old and a 3 year old...all boys. So someone is consistently running at about 70% on the meter. Someone is ALWAYS doing something. My 18 month old is a girl, so I cant use the a-hole meter on her...yet. Same for the newborn, he's just a cutie.

I'll be jealous when they are grown up and you have lots of grandchildren, but I don't know how you manage. I'm afraid to have ONE more. You have FIVE?!​

Yup. Five. Oldest is 6. I didn't tell you where I am on the a-hole meter...