Before I continue with my usual mundane rambling, let me remind my self the objective to keep on writing in Cubic Room. It is for Mika & Pascal to read and know how their parent’s life in the past. Therefore, let me make it clear in advance that I love you, boys. I love you more than everything else in the world. I will die and bleed for you if I have to. There I said it. Now I can continue.

Due to my ‘divorce’, I decided to shorten my Idul Fitri holiday from 3 weeks to 1 week only. There are so many things that need to be finished or handed over to my sisters. Anyway, being home for a week and be constant mediator for Mika (6 years and 4 months) and Pascal (2 years and 6 months) had really challenged my negotiation skill, patient and ability to make decision.

Mika is cheeky, (a lot) bigger than Pascal and yet has short temper. Pascal is small, very valiant and also has (very) short temper. What a perfect combination. The conversation usually goes like this:

I, Mika & Pascal sit peacefully in front of TV watching Toys Story for the 100th times eating Idul Fitri cookies:

Mika: I want to sit up front (he refers to sitting arrangement in the car).

Pascal: I want to sit up front.

Me (in confusion): But guys, we are not going anywhere. So nobody sit anywhere.

Mika: If we do go somewhere, I want to sit up front.

Pascal: NO. I WANT TO SIT UP FRONT.

Mika: YOU ALWAYS SIT UP FRONT WITH MOM!! I NEVER SIT UP FRONT SO I WANT TO SIT UP FRONT!!

Pascal would then scratch Mika and Mika would try to kick Pascal and the nanny and I got stuck in the middle trying to be barriers for both parties.

Or:

Pascal is holding a Buzz Lightyear. Mika tried to grab it. Pascal holding it back and pinch Mika really hard. Mika cried and tried to hit Pascal. Sometimes when it succeed, Pascal would cry and will try to punch Mika back. It would end up both crying and Pascal would throw up.

*Great*

OK, so the result of a week being referee in ‘domestic violence’ are:

1. One of Mika’s tae kwon do kick hit my nose and it hurt like hell! (I lost my temper on this episode and slap his back *groan*)

2. Two of my fingers swell when I tried to deflect another kick from Mika aimed to Pascal. (I did not do anything on this one as it was too painful even to speak).

3. Sore throat for keep on yelling. The usual sentence are: don’t speak that way! stop saying those kind of things! stop yelling! don’t hit, ok? Calm down! Calm down! CALM DOWN!!

This squabble usually ended with hubby coming to my rescue and calming me down. Fortunately we do have refrigerator and ice cubes.