Who's In Charge?

I wasn't going to blog today. I wasn't even going to be home. I was supposed to babysit my sister's daughter but my youngest son (little Alberquando) had to stay home from school. He's not feeling well. He says his stomach hurts and it feels like (and I quote) "There is a knife poking his stomach from the inside". I gave him the typical mom's response of "Go poop and you'll feel better". Well, that didn't help. Now I am not an uncaring or mean mom. As a matter of fact, I have been told on NUMEROUS occasions by NUMEROUS people that I am too easy on my kids, but this is VERY inconvenient. Oh of course I cannot send him to school with knives poking in his stomach but I KNOW , I mean I really KNOW that he is OK. (of course I still can't send him to school because what if there is that 2% chance that something really is wrong....I hate making these decisions)I also KNOW and I mean I really KNOW when he wakes back up (I sent him back to bed) , that he is going to feel SO much better sometime around 3:30 (when school is over for the day). Then he is going to expect me to let him play on the computer or video games. The rule here is if you don't go to school then No computer and No video games that day...PERIOD. (ok, maybe I should say COMMA instead of period because I have been known to let the rule slide but this time I mean it!!) Never-the-less, this evening around 4:00 he's going to ask to get on the computer. I GUARANTEE it. I would bet you a million dollars that he is going to ask. I'm going to say "No" and he's going to look at me like I have just shot him in the foot. He's going to be shocked and surprised that I could be so cruel, after all, he'll say he feels better so what difference does it make? We'll argue about it because I haven't done a great job at always holding my ground. He'll beg because I haven't done a great job at sticking to the rules and he'll ask "Why?"even though he knows why. Hey. WHO'S IN CHARGE HERE? (me,right?) Now I am holding myself accountable to myself and the entire googleing blogging world that today THERE WILL BE NO VIDEO GAMES OR COMPUTER GAMES. There will be no joy in Mudville but I Will Be In Charge!! Now please remember that if I truly thought there were knives in his stomach that I would be the first one racing him to the hospital or calling 911, but his track record says that there is a 99.99% chance that he will be fine. (did you know that 97.4% of all statistics are made up on the spot?).
Now here's where are this is going (bet you thought we'd never get here). I was going to babysit my niece today. So I had to call my sister and cancel at the last minute. I have 2 sisters and we are all as different as night and day...and night. The sister I was babysitting for is a planner. Spur of the moment things put her in a tailspin. (I on the other hand live that way daily). She is NEVER late, always has her day planned out and probably has her daily planner filled (including playdates, lunches and menus) thru 2009. I'm sure that she had her entire day mapped out, probably had her GPS programmed, had decided what she was going to wear and was actually dressed, shoes by the door, and ready to go. Then her phone rang and I bet her heart skipped a beat when she saw my name on the caller ID. So you see, my day is messed up but I have probably thrown off the rest of her month. I feel pretty bad about that. Not to mention she had already told her daughter I was coming (Her daughter loves me....because I'm such a pushover).
Well, here I am, stuck at home with a child that has knives in his stomach but I feel worse for my sister. I wonder what's she's doing now? I know eventually today she'll be reading this so I'm Sorry CK.
Final note....This morning when my son asked if I was mad because he was staying home (since he knew I was supposed to babysit) I said "Of course not sweetheart, I love you". He smiled and crawled back in bed and looked at me and said "Promise?" I said "No honey, I'm just a little disappointed. Not for me but for my sister and of course for you and your brother. I was going to make $50.00 today. It wasn't for me, I was going to put it in our summer fun fund......It's ok, you rest, Good night sweet pea".......hhhmmm who's in charge now.