How do we get here EVERY YEAR???

I usually don't blog about these things, but today there's nothing else in my mind. I get blown away each year, right about this time of year. It's always the same. Cesar is a brilliant student, but for some reason, he starts dropping his grades. It takes a lot of grounding, lecturing, doing homework with him, meeting with teachers... I can't even count the things Brian and I end up doing to help him get back where he belongs. He's been in Academically Talented programs since second grade, and he keeps getting invited to the next one on the next grade, like now. But I don't know what it is, every year I need to threaten his summer vacation ("I promise you, Cesar, I will make you summer miserable, you can forget about your nice tan, I'll make sure you don't see the swiming pool all summer long, blah, blah, blah") in order for him to straighten up.

Then, Nicole has been pretty bratsy lately, even with her good friends. Today, her best friend (and not-so-secret-crush) Jake was here. Nicole wanted a lollipop, and I told her "SURE, just give one to Jake". She threw a tantrum! Not very unusual, really... lately she has them more and more often. She refused to give him a lollipop! She refused to share her candy with her best friend who always tells her he will marry her one day!! She's been just horribible! I swear, if I didn't know better, I'd say she's pmsing... permanently.

Even Connor has been a little bit screamy, granted he has 4 teeth coming in at the same time! And he's just so pinchable and his cheeks are so chubby, all I need to do is kiss him and I forget he just can't stop screaming.

Arrggghhh!!! Sorry, it's just one of those days when you question yourself as a mother, and wonder if you can still go to Timbuctu and be a missionary with the sisters of the third order of the perpetual candle of eternal light...