A Daily Lesson in Parenting and Manners: A TR by a real life Wicked Stepmom!

[Sorsha]

BIG Disney-style hugs to you, sweetie!
Lots of good thoughts coming your way - hoping your ear heals quickly and that you feel better soon. Also here's an e-cup of tea and an e-cookie from me, wish we could sit down together and enjoy them.
That specialist really is a twit... sheesh... its OK though, Karma happens... sometime today he will step in a doggie-bomb, or a birdie will poo on his head, or something equally nasty and he will have it coming.
BTW thanks for the inspiration... now I can explain it to anyone who asks... I have an "Inner Donald"... LOVE it.

 

[Punky's Mama]

Yes, living in the castle is just what your family needs right now!! That would be perfect! Smart girl that one....

Oh and I love the disney paperweight idea, PERFECT Disney justice!!!

Now get back to work....me too!

 

[elmo2wdw]

This is a great story! You are an awesome mom!

 

[codyvt]

Hey Cammie -

I started reading your TR last night and I'm hooked - for several reaasons.

Let me digress for a second - I'm glad you learned what was going on and that you will be ok. Your doctor, on the other hand, should probably be reprimanded for his completely unprofessional and frankly idiotic behavior. Who asks a patient if they are "knocked up?" Or, uses profanity with a patient? I hope you are looking for a new doctor!!

It sounds like you have two wonderful kids. As a fellow wicked stepmom (there sure do seem to be a lot of us out there), I know what you are going through.. my husband's ex tried to keep my stepson (now 16) from attending our Disney wedding when he was 11. She basically told him that she would be all alone and would miss him... blah, blah, blah... he came anyway (of course) and we all had a great time. But it really does just suck when it's happening, doesn't it? I would like to be able to tell you that it's all happy and great now but we are still going through child support and custody issues. YUCK!!! My stepson is a FANTASTIC kid, however, and basically he just keeps her in check. My husband seems to be a lot like Jay, basically, it's a don't rock the boat kind of thing until she seems to lose her mind and then it's "game on"... let me know if you ever want to talk more about this crap. I know how hard it can be to talk to even your husband about it sometimes...

One more thing, not only am I a wicked stepmom, I'm also a divorce/custody attorney. I might be able to offer some help if you're interested as this is what I do everyday...

Now, back to your trip - I'm totally caught up and hooked. I can't believe the psycho kid on the plane. SERIOUSLY????!!!!! You are a much better person than I am, I'm pretty sure he would have received his own elbow to the head if I had been sitting next to him! At any rate, I can't wait to read more...

Keep smiling and know that you've got a lot of loyal supporters out here!

- Margey

 

[CampbellScot]

One more thing, not only am I a wicked stepmom, I'm also a divorce/custody attorney. I might be able to offer some help if you're interested as this is what I do everyday...

Now, back to your trip - I'm totally caught up and hooked. I can't believe the psycho kid on the plane. SERIOUSLY????!!!!! You are a much better person than I am, I'm pretty sure he would have received his own elbow to the head if I had been sitting next to him!

Just the vision of a well put together attorney giving an elbow to that wretched child seriously made me snort laugh in a most unladylike way!

I may throw a few questions your way on the custody front as I'm not sure our attorney knows what he is doing...he's very good but it feels like he does this: a lot...

I'm glad to know I'm not the only wicked step mom out there. I feel for my husband who truly has no idea that this is going to drag on for ages...even after the legal garbage is over. Both he and his ex wife were lucky enough to have parents who stayed married...so neither of them have a clue what this custody battling does to children...especially children who are nervous nellies as it is. Their mom shows no signs of stopping...her most recent response to Jay's concern about Sally's stress level was "She can CHEW HER FINGERS OFF for all I care...I'm not stopping until YOU stop and my uncle is funding this so you better stop before your daughter is crippled". Good LORD. It's enough to make you want to give up. We just don't want her to move so far away. We're not asking for anything else. But now she wants what she wants and that's that...PERIOD...as she loves to say.

what is wrong with people?

anyhow, thanks so much for reading and for your words of support.

MUCH appreciated!!!!!

 

[Jaklackus]

Subscribing, wonderful trip report thank you.

I totally understand keeping inner 'Donald' under control and non verbal communication with the spouse while the kids are within earshot. My husband dreaded the first 2 hours after my stepson went home cause I just went off about everything.
When we became pregnant (on our honeymoon no less) it went over like a lead balloon....'we had no consideration for the existing child's feelings', 'it would cause emotional damage', etc etc etc.....guess who was pregnant 2 months later? Her baby was a miracle and a wonderful blessing, her son would longer be an only child...on and on...her poor husband was confused because she had told him that her tubes had been tied. She actually thought that hubby was going to confirm it for her in front of the new hubby....it wasn't a pretty scene.
It's sad that so many mom's torture their kids after divorce, I wish that there was some follow up after divorce to determine if there is emotional abuse and parental alienation syndrome going on in either house.
Oh by the way don't worry about karma, I doubted it for a long time because it takes entirely too long to bite back, but when it does come back it strikes hard and fast and it isn't pretty. Just keep being the best wicked step mom that you can be...those kids need you more than you think.

 

[tina_la]

I can't wait to read more. Supposed to be working but I can't help it. I want to hear more about your trip. I have never had an ear infection that bad and my heart goes out to you and those great kids too. They are real keepers. Send them my best from all your new DIS friends.

 

[burly]

Thinking your doctor is a jerk anyway for you some more of this...

 

[jessi1375]

Subscribing......I have enjoyed your TR report very much this far.

As for the ears.....I have never had an ear problem in my life and I woke up about a month ago and couldn't hear out of my right ear. The doctors are working on it right now and hopefully everything will be fine, but I feel badly for you, especially if you are feeling bad everyday!

 

[TxRabbit]

thanks for good thoughts. I made an appointment for a mani/pedi this afternoon. Pink Toenails ALWAYS lift my spirits!!

Oooo...we call those pretty toes...because my DS at age 2 really noticed them for the first time and exclaimed, "oooooo....preeeeeety toes."

I hope there's a spa pedicure chair there, relaxation, and some escapism...

 

[codyvt]

Cammie -

I'm appalled at the mom. I could tell you what I would do in that situation and it's NOT give up - you guys are absolutely entitled to have your "50%" with the kids. From where I sit, if she keeps acting like that, I say you have a pretty strong case for full physical custody with MOM to have visitation. I don't get the people who don't see what this type of crap does to kids. I don't think I should get started - it's my soapbox these days!!! Hang in there!

 

[Marion]

for you and a for Donald

 

[Princess_Michelle]

I think he's still tired from the trip. And y'all want to hear something random and weird...I told my mother in law that my legs still ached from all the walking we did at Disneyworld...she told me to put a bar of ZEST between the sheets at the foot of the bed...

OMG!!! That is so WEIRD!! I just heard that for the first time ever this past weekend!! My husbands grandma told us...must be an old wives tale!!

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your trip report!!

 

[jordansmomma]

Oh Miss. Cammie~
I am so enjoying your TR. I started yesterday and I found myself laughing crying and almost snorting. I almost fell out of my chair at the horrid ADD child, oops I mean itsnothisfaultheissoloudandwild child. I so would have elbowed him in the kidneys and said sorry it was just my reflexes from having my nose broken.
I feel for you on the custody situation. My best friend has the cutest most addorable redheaded step child (really she has curly Annie type hair), but her mother is something else. What really do parents get from hurting their children with talking crap about people they love? Someday these mothers will grow up and realize that even though they are trying to hurt the daddys they are really only hurting their kids.
AHH but KARMA is a beeyotcyh!! What comes around, goes around honey. Someday, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow but the ex wives will pay dearly.

Well keep it coming. I am sooo lovin this report.

P.S.
I can help you hide the body.......

 

[CampbellScot]

As I'm not getting ANY work done, I'm going to take my last 45 minutes at work to WORK on the first half of chapter five...and then I'm going to get my nails done...I tacked up some posters...what more could they want from me?!

Okay where were we?

We had just gone through an emotional purging with Minnie Mouse. It was time for some DESSERT!!!

The kids had eaten maybe two or three bites of Mickey mac and cheese...Sally had nibbled on an apple and Teddy managed some "smashed ponatoes" as he calls them.

I'd say they earned dessert right? (I had totally decided before we came that I was not going to be a nag about food the way I usually am. Teddy is so skinny that he is still in a 3T waist...even though he needs a 5T for things to fit length wise. String bean this kiddo...and y'all know SallyRally and her food issues. She'd been doing well, but then when all this custody stuff started up she went back to mostly yogurt and cheese. I figured I'd keep encouraging...they'd have lots of choices at buffets and eat when they were hungry. They'd get their Flintstones vitamins in the morning and nobody was going to STARVE while we were there...I just wanted everyone to relax and have a good time. PERIOD!)

SO dessert bar it is!!!

I noticed that miss Sally was skipping on our way to get dessert. She hadn't skipped anywhere in a LONG time. She seemed to feel lighter and more carefree than I'd seen her in ages. My heart cheered for her, even while it ached b/c I know Sally...and I know that the alligators in her mind are waiting for her. I hoped that she could stay in the light for a while...I hoped we all could.

Once we arrived at the dizzying display of sprinkles and gummi bears and cakes and cookies, the "indecision dance" began.

"MissCammie, should I have ice cream? They have vanilla ice cream. Should I have some?"

OF course you should have some kiddo! It's ice cream! It's vanilla!! Your two FAVORITE things!

"Can I have Gummi Bears on top? And sprinkles? But those sprinkles don't look like the sprinkles we have at our house. There are FAT sprinkles in with the SKINNY sprinkles...I don't think I want those...why are they are MIXED in together like that? I just want skinny sprinkles...so maybe I'll have gummi bears, just gummi bears...but daddy can have the green ones b/c I don't like the green ones...just the red ones and the yellow and the clear ones. Okay MissCammie. That's okay isn't it?"

This decision definitely called for some nail biting...I mean this was DESSERT after all...

The child was having anxiety over sprinkles. She had CLEARLY inherited her dad's OCD tendencies...and this sort of thing could NOT be solved by getting sprinkles and just taking the offensive FAT sprinkles out...b/c the skinny sprinkles had been TAINTED by the mere presence of the fat sprinkles. Although this rule didn't apply to Gummi Bears for some reason...

*ahem*

All I could do was hug her close, tell her to quit eating her fingernails or she'd have no room for her ice cream with just Gummi bears...save the green ones being given to daddy.

So she set to it. She got her bowl and dispensed her very own vanilla ice cream into it. Sally LOVES to do things "her own self". She craves independence nearly as much as she fears it. With a glance over her shoulder to make sure I was still behind her, she went to the Gummi bears and counted out 11...

I laughed out loud watching her.

She looked at me and very seriously said "Miss Cammie, there are 11 gummi bears, but three of them are GREEN, so I'll only be eating 8...because 8 is my favorite number..."

naturally...

I found myself a very darling little oreo cookie with some amazing chocolate I don't know what on top of it...oh my word...if I could marry a cookie, this would be the one!

Sally wrinkled her nose at my fabulously dressed up Oreo. Sally does NOT like chocolate. She didn't say anything though as we had gone over the fact that it's rude to say YUCK to other people's food choices. In fact, the word "yuck" was banned from our house. It was a common word at the table before bossy, PRISSY MissCammie arrived. I had to put a stop to it...along with chewing with your mouth open, talking with food in your mouth, spitting food you didn't like INTO YOUR HAND...(teddy had been taught this by grandma...he had learned to "choke" if he didn't want to eat something...it took being excused from the table once or twice before he had finished eating for this pretty habit to cease)...and HUMMING while you chewed...(that was Sally's offense). All three of them ate like barn yard animals (I hate to add Jay into this...but he DID...he ate like an uncouth frat boy from time to time...I kid you not. Happily, the kids now have "Who can chew the quietest" contests!

I know...I have issues...but SERIOUSLY...bad table manners are the downfall of society!

*ahem*

Jay took Teddy to get his dessert. They arrived back with chocolate ice cream with Oreos and M&M's. Teddy was dancing with anticipation. He LOVES to sprinkle things on his food...and decorate cupcakes...loves it. But he'll eat two or three bites and declare himself finished. This child would rather eat carrots and coleslaw than sweets. We're going to try and foster that for as long as we can!

It was nice just sitting with the kids. Watching them enjoy the atmosphere around us. Jay kept smiling at me as he ate his brownies...and oreos...and carrot cake...and ice cream...and another brownie... I wasn't going to say anything. We were on vacation and I figured the walking that was ahead of us would counteract the sugar intake of my brownie happy husband! He looked absolutely darling, sitting there next to his son. I am just so in love with this man. He is beautiful. He is the kind of dad that will wear a pirate T-shirt at Disneyworld b/c he knows his wife and kids get a kick out of it...even though he's on the serious side and would NEVER wear a Pirate tee in real life. He also diligently made sure that we had our anniversary buttons on before we left the room each morning. THAT is good people, let me tell you!

Before I knew it, it was time to get moving. Jay requested the check and gave a hoot of laughter when he saw how much it "would have been". I think the signing of the Dining Plan receipt was one of Jay's favorite things to do on the trip! This man squirrels away money like mad...he loves to calculate how much he's saving. It gives him a sense of peace in world filled with chaos!

It was time for Sally to make her transformation into "Belle's Twin". We were making our way towards the bathroom when Sally suddenly screeched

"PENNY SMASHERS!!!"

Oh the Penny smashing machines. Eagle Eye Sal was always on the lookout. Jay had purchased them Smashed Penny Albums from the gift shop at Wilderness Lodge. We had their bags of change all ready to go. The kids had been earning money all year for this trip and they set aside quarters and pennies for just such an occasion!

They each picked two different designs and stuck them in their albums. Okay, back on track...time to change!! As we were walking to the bathroom Sally handed me something. It was a smashed penny. I exclaimed over how cute it was, especially b/c it had Donald on it...and I handed it back to her.

"No MissCammie, I got it for you. Because it has Donald and you love Donald and now you can keep it in your Coach bag b/c you love Coach bags too. So then you will have your two favorite things together!"

*sniffle* Can I stick YOU in my Coach bag SallyRally?

"MISSCAMMIE...there is NO crying at Disney...right?...and besides I wouldn't even FIT in your Coach bag!"



Right-o SallySue...NO CRYING at Disney!!

OKAY...into the bathrooms...which of course brings on the hands up, no touching any surface, have to check every stall before we pick one routine. I all but dragged her into the "Companion Restroom". Normally I don't use it, but I had told her that they were cleaner than other bathrooms...and she believed me...so it would be less anxiety and a quicker change.

After confirming that Disney bathrooms were cleaner than other bathrooms and throwing an half an eyebrow arch at her, we got into the Belle Costume. She looked FABULOUS. But then she didn't want to come out of the bathroom.

"MissCammie, everybody is going to LOOK at me. They'll think I'm STUPID...and LAUGH at me...and look at me..."

I fixed her with an eyebrow and said "Sally, people look at you b/c you are gorgeous. They WISH they had gorgeous brown eyes and dark brown hair like yours...they wish they looked JUST LIKE BELLE...in FACT if we don't hurry up out of here, there is going to be a line of people waiting outside the bathroom wanting your autograph and trying to KISS YOUR FEET...do you want that?! Now let's move it sister, before you are covered in feet kisses!!"

She decided to laugh instead of worry and we stepped out of the bathroom. Luckily were got out of there before the line formed...*cough*

But she decided to scurry ahead of us in case people started chasing her...she was followed by Captain Jack Sparrow in his "summer outfit"...YES, Captain Jack DOES wear Crocs in the summer...boots are too hot...*ahem*

As we waited for the monorail I heard a voice that sounded strangely like Sally's, chattering her head off to the CM standing by the gate...of course this couldn't be Sally b/c Sally does NOT talk to people she doesn't know...ever. Doesn't do it...

but she was...talking her head clean off to this CM...telling her all about meeting Minnie...and Minnie remembering her from when she was three and what we had for dinner and her step mom telling her that people are going to think she is the REAL Belle b/c she looks so much like Belle that they could be TWINS except Belle is taller...

on and on she went...I looked at Jay and asked him if our Sally had been replaced by a pod person...with the chatter button taped down! I could NOT believe it. She was totally and completely a different kid. She was smiling and open and everything she is NOT in real life. Somebody has GOT to bottle this Disney air...it's got happiness particles in it...or something.

The monorail came zooming into the building and we hopped into an empty car. Now i don't know about y'all...but the monorails smell like the inside of a horse stall to me. I don't know why...but they do.

It seems Sally agreed with me. She wrinkled her little nose as soon as we sat down. Then she looked at her little brother and said

"Teddy, you need a BATH!"



Sally generally blames any bad smell on her brother.

She turned to me and said

"MissCammie...Teddy needs a bath. Can you smell him? Or is it daddy?"



Jay responded with an insulted "HEY!"

Then he turned to me and said quietly

"Babe, do I smell?"



Nope...not too much...

Teddy noticed a smell too and said

"It smells the like ZOO in here! Because maybe when there aren't people on the monorail they put elephants and giraffes on the monorail and then take them from park to park so people can pet them and feed them oats..."

OBVIOUSLY...

The comic relief afforded to me on a daily basis is plentiful. Let me tell you!

I got some pics as we headed towards the Magic Kingdom...

I love the Magic Kingdom. It's my favorite park. It's the heart of all things Disney. We were on our way and I couldn't wait to get there!!

And then the monorail stopped. Dead. In it's tracks.

stay tuned...

up next:
Pirates and Princesses and Wicked Stepmothers OH MY!!

*sorry this was short...but my nails need Pinkness!!* More later PROMISE!!

 

[skywaywaver]

I knew it was something to do with the ulcers or whatever... I'm sorry you feel so icky and that the doctor was a jerkazoid. Blech...
Hope you are feeling better soon and surgery is not needed.
And that was very wicked of you to leave us hanging like that.

 

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

YES! The monorail does smell like a barn. I never understood it. In fact, I've heard a rumor that it's the cleaning supplies used confused3 ),but NOW I know it's because the animals get to ride around in it after the park closes. It all makes sense now. Thank you Teddy!

And my heart aches for Sally. She'll come through okay. So many of us have. Not totally unscathed, but okay. She's got good people around her, even if they do clean too much and have ulcers

 

[naynay80]

Miss Cammie, I just found your report - wow, it has had me laughing and crying - everyone at work thinks I'm nuts (more than usual)

My children are almost 7 -dd and 4 year old ds - they are so like your kids. DS kisses my arm at random moments also - it just makes me smile everytime. He is also a daredevil - just like your's - so I know how you feel. I was really hoping you were pg, but as the nurse said, it will happen when it's supposed to.

You are a wonderful role model for "step-mothers" - that has to be one of the hardest things to be. I admire you for how you are handling it- you are doing a GREAT job

I can't wait to read more of your report - we will be at the lodge in 29 day's and can't wait I think I'm going to steal some of your rules for disney - should make for a much less stressful trip.

Thanks so much for taking us on your trip with you

 

[Avivasmom]

First off Sorry about your ears....my SIL and Aviva both suffered badly with ear issues. So I can relate. Aviva had such a high pain tolerrance most of the time she never complained.

Sally truly makes you smile the things she says and does it just so sweet.

Love the Captain Jack look with the crocs!!

 

[jenins121681]

Just want to put my 2 cents in and say get rid of that Doctor!! What a jerk!!...you totally don't need to put up with that. As a nurse I deal with a lot of Doctors....but that one sounds like he has absolutely no manners or bedside manner.