Parenting's ugly side

I am really struggling with Joseph right now. We've had a rough couple of days and I'm just about at my wit's end. He's been whiny, rude, sassy and disruptive. I got a note from his teacher today telling me that he's been the same way at school. He knows that if he gets a bad report from school that he won't get any computer time in the evening. I told him no computer today and he told me "Noooo! My teachers are big fat liars! I heard them say that they were going to lie to you!"

I'm having such a tough time with him and it's just so frustrating. Elle is nothing but sweetness and sunshine and she lights up when she sees me. Joseph, on the other hand, said he was going to "give me a knuckle sandwich" last night. It's sometimes hard for me to put the effort into dealing with him when he's being so difficult because it's so much easier and rewarding being with her. I know that those are the times that I have to put twice the effort in with him though. It's just so darned frustrating sometimes. It's the less than pleasant side of parenting that I never really knew about before. Even though I love my chilren the same I don't always like them the same and that's a little bit of a yucky feeling.

Sigh.

In other news Elle has learned how to grunt. She does it all the time. When she's happy, when she's sad, when she's pooping, all the time. She grunts the loudest and expressivly when she's nursing though. I think it's her version of purring. She's a funny baby.

Joseph is a funny kid too when he's not bugging the ever loving snot out of me. And there's a little boy in his class who looks like Flavor Flav. That's got to count for something right?