Signs, signs, everywhere there’s signs.*

After dinner last week, Peter asked for a piece of toffee.

It was my third attempt at making toffee and it still didn’t turn out right but the kids still wanted to eat it. I think I need a new candy thermometer. (At least that’s what I’m going to blame it on.)

Sarah helped me make the toffee and had eaten plenty of it throughout the afternoon.

I told Peter he could have a piece but not to flaunt it in front of Sarah because I wasn’t going to let her have any more.

So he agreed and took a piece of the toffee. I continued cleaning up the dinner dishes and less than 30 seconds later I turned around to see Peter standing in front of Sarah waving the toffee around.

I rushed over to him, pulled him aside, got up to his face and whispered, “What are you doing? I thought I told you not to tell Sarah.”

After I calmed Sarah down and explained why she couldn’t have any more toffee, it was time for bath so we all four marched up stairs.

Dan and Peter went in one direction and Sarah and I went in the other.

I assumed all was well and good until I went into Peter’s room to kiss him goodnight.

I was shocked when I received the back treatment! I tried to kiss Peter good night but he gave a huff, rolled over in bed and all I could see was his back.

I told him I loved him and I left the room.

Then about 20 minutes later Sarah yelled for me to come into her room. She said there was a mean sign on her door.

Apparently Peter had written and posted the following note on her door right after he gave me the back treatment.

I removed the offensive sign and told Sarah not to worry because Peter was mad at me, not her.

It was a classic case of transference. Clearly the toffee incident had more of an impact on Peter’s delicate psyche than I realized. (After discussing it with him the next day, he told me I had hurt his feelings when I whispered at him. I guess it was probably more of a hiss than a whisper and I think it scared him. But I apologized and all was well again.)

When I saw the sign, I wasn’t offended or upset, I was excited. The handwriting on this sign was the clearest and neatest I’ve seen from him yet. And look! No misspelled words!

I was actually proud of my little kindergartener!

Several days later on Sunday morning, right before church, Sarah asked for a snack. She had already finished breakfast and another snack so I told her “no”.

She huffed around and then I went upstairs to finish getting dressed.

Dan asked what all the huffing was about and I told him I had denied Sarah a snack but she was fine with it.

Or so I thought.

After I dressed, I went into her room to grab a pair of tights and found this sign on her door.

But I wasn’t offended or upset. (Well, only a little.)

Because look! She actually wrote something other than her name all by herself!

But all is well here again because later on that afternoon, they both made these for me…(The top note is from Sarah. The bottom note is from Peter.)

They still love me and I have always loved them.

*From Signs written and recorded by The Five Man Electric Band. Also recorded by Tesla - my favorite version.