Hearing Impaired

We were planning to go to the football game tonight. It's the very first one of the season, and I specifically wanted to go because I never made it to any of last year's games due to Jemma's very early bedtimes. I've been excited to get into all the school spirit around here, to check out the infamous hometown games. We've talked it up all week, glad that our Labor Day plans don't require us to leave until tomorrow morning.

But . . . it's now been a full 7 days since Annie last napped in the afternoon. It's been 9 days since gymnastics ended, and therefore since she's had any type of outside-the-house, regularly-scheduled activity. She's out of sorts, to say the least. We've been to various parks, to the pool, on outings to favorite places, around the neighborhood with friends, but there is definitely something missing. Also, her hearing seems to have been affected by her lack of scheduling. I'll say something like, "Hey Annie, could you please go change out of your jammies so we can get ready to go?" and by the way she runs away, shrieking, I believe she hears something more like, "Hey Annie, could you please go outside and cut off your own foot?" Every single, minor request is met with a total fit of noncompliance. In between refusing to cooperate, she spends her time laughing maniacally at Jemma after taking something away and running around with it. Also, making a spitting noise with her mouth. Also, playing with her food at the table. Also, singing nonsense songs. Also - hey! Writing this out, I see more clearly what's happened: Annie and Jemma have switched ages!

So this morning, after some hitting and then some laughing-about-the-hitting instead of apologizing, I revoked the long-promised football game. Hard to say if it did the trick by shocking her into putting forth more of an effort; our afternoon was better than our morning, but still not great. We took a walk, we saw the band, we put the girls to bed. And here I am at home, at least with a few extra minutes to PACK, because who doesn't want to take their misbehaving preschooler up to show off for the extended family for the weekend? Wish me luck.