Back on schedule

Thankfully, Mark is back on his school schedule. After two weeks of sleeping in late, I was afraid this week would be Battle of the Insolent, Sleepy Third Grader. Luckily, I got the condensed version (just one morning).

Monday dawned bright and cheery; Mark, however, did not. He refused to get out of bed, citing, "I'm stretching" at least four different times, and "I'm still tired" three times. (Are those valid excuses for showing up to work late? Because maybe I should try those!) I finally "stretched" his little body right out from under his warm blankets. This, as to be expected, was met with resistance.

After a grumpy breakfast and an immediate return to bed while I was in the shower, we were ready for school. Mark alternately walked seven steps behind me, or four ahead of me. I've seen grumpy before--but this beat all!

His bad attitude stayed with him all day long. I picked him up from Kid's Club and asked how his first day back was.

"Bad," he answered.

I was surprised. "Why?" I asked.

He held out his hands in his patented "DUH!" gesture, and said, "Because I was at SCHOOL!"

"But you like school," I said.

"No, I don't."

And so I dropped the subject.

Tuesday morning, I woke up, mentally preparing for the second day of battle. But the little guy surprised me, and woke up happy. He ate his breakfast, and cheerfully completed all his chores. He even held my hand walking to school (a first), and talked about living in a Rainbow House when he grows up (he's going to paint each exterior wall a different color). He even skipped off to school with an "I love you!"

It's weird...I can't figure out if it's a grumpy-get-back-on-schedule thing, or if it's a blood sugar-related thing. When Mark's blood sugar is high (above 150), there's no reasoning with him. He's an angry, combative, mouthy little man. And when it's in range, he's the sweetest kid ever. Monday, he woke up high (264) and yesterday he was perfect (99). So it's a whole chicken and the egg thing--was he grumpy because of his blood sugar, or did the anxiety of returning to school send his blood sugar soaring?

I dunno...I'm just glad that two days later, he's back on schedule, and back to being Happy Mark.