I’m tongue tied about things because I know what I’m seeing is just one side, one perspective, one whatever.

And anything I say comes out, quite simply, wrong. I don’t have the words to describe what I’m seeing and feeling. I’ve been trying (this draft has so far taken me three hours and has been re-written from scratch several times)

Whatever.

Two of my kids almost got into a fistfight tonight over who was going to push the DVD into the player. “It’s my turn to push the button on the washing machine” (I did two loads tonight so each child could push a button). Everything is a race, a competition.

Then watching the movie one child bursts into tears when the other manages to squeeze between us for a moment. Constant motion, constant “look at me.” No answer I give to any question is the right one. “I’m going to go in and look at the picture.” It’s a picture of me and the kids that my wife gave me for father’s day. “Can I get the blanket from your bed?” Yes, but you have to share. The grudge match that ensued for the next 45 minutes was MMA worthy.

A while later my son says “You know this movie is mine. You can have it.” No, I don’t want your only copy of Cars. Take it home, son, you can bring it over and watch it anytime you want. Really, really.

My oldest is trying to turn things to his advantage, asking for a Droid X2. He also wants me to get a PS3 so we can play online. Oh, and I’ve seen all the PG13 movies at Redbox, let’s rent “Drive Angry.” He seems to only want to see me when there is something material to be gained. This is nothing new. At least he is being civil.

I am not bitching. I’m just observing. I don’t see them for most of the day (I’m at work) so I’m getting just a slice of them. I don’t know how my slice compares to any other slice.