There is a girl who lives across the street whom we call Annoying Neighbor Girl, ANG, because, well, she's annoying, she's a neighbor, and she's a girl. She is also bossy, obnoxious, disrespectful, and if she was my child she'd get slapped if she acted how she does. I am not above hiding in the basement when she rings the doorbell and pretending we aren't home.
Yesterday, she come over BEFORE Baba made it home from school. She asked if she could wait for him to come home on our front step. Um, no. Baba doesn't really like playing with her (hmmm, wonder why) so I always like to give him an out. There has been a couple times when she's been here waiting for him to get off the bus and he has burst into tears and said, "What is she doing here? I don't wanna play with her." Polite? Not really, but you'd think she'd get the hint. Which she doesn't. I sent her home. Baba's bus comes and he runs up the driveway, excited to be home. She slinks up the driveway so I don't notice and she can play.
Baba wants to play so I let her come over (just call me Mother Theresa). I specifically tell Baba to do the best he can to stay out of the puddles in the backyard because its not that warm, the water will be freezing, and snow pants are not SCUBA gear. I look out the window to check on ANG and see her standing over a sled full of water and Baba SITTING in a puddle. I open the door, tell her to go home, and Baba to get in the house. NOW.
Although, I don't yell, I do make Baba burst into tears because he knows that I'm not happy (and when Momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy). He comes in the house and I begin interrogation only to find out that ANG told him to sit in the puddle because that was part of the game. Because I am such a good person, I do not run across the street to strange the girl (by the way, she is in 3rd grade). Baba and I discuss how its always okay for him to say, "No!" if someone asks him to do something he knows is wrong (like sitting in a puddle in his snow pants). And Zippy and I are always willing to be the bad guys. If he doesn't want to do something, he can always say that his parents would kill him if he did it. Easy out.
Fast forward to dinner. Rudy has downed her usual half a gallon of milk and wants more so she turns to Zippy and says, "More milk, bad guy!" Turns out they do listen to my lectures. At least, they pick out the best parts.
She looks likes she is ready to fight! Baba was a little disappointed she didn't have a lightsaber and/or sword in my belly, but soon enough her brother will have her armed and ready to battle.