Oh Howard...

Yesterday afternoon, after a long car trip to St. Louis, we went directly to Hubby's sister's home so all the cousins could play together until bedtime.

They had a blast -- 10 cousins between the ages of 5 and 1, and two more due this fall.

I will say, watching Howard with his cousin, Judah, who is three months younger than Howard was something new for me -- two boys full of energy playing off of each other.  They were VERY hyper and found it extremely hard to listen. 

Then, we came home to Memaw and Peepaw's to try to settle our kids down for the night.  Howard continued to have a really hard time listening -- the girls had a hard time winding down too, but Howard's behavior was unacceptable.

Finally, we put them all to bed -- in the same room, so we realize its going to take some time for everything to quiet down.

I try to organize some of our packing boxes to figure out where everything is, and I hear Lee Lee and the twins continue to chatter a little.  Then I hear a big thud and major crying.

Howard has figured out how to get Lee Lee to stop talking.  He's in a four-post bed with metal balls at the ends of the posts... he threw a metal ball at her head, and unfortunately, he's a good shot.  He got her. 

I console Lee Lee and tell Howard he has to march downstairs to tell Daddy what he did.  I tell him the punishment will be worse if he lies or if he doesn't admit to Daddy what he did.

He walks downstairs, and Lee Lee and I follow.  We discuss everything with Howard -- how much he could have hurt her, how dangerous that was, how much it hurts to be hit in the head, what the consequences will be if that happens again... everything we needed to say.   Then, we sent him up to bed and told him I would be there with Lee Lee in a minute.

Howard goes upstairs leaving us in the basement (where our room is at Memaw and Peepaw's house).  We spend another minute cuddling Lee Lee and then I take her upstairs -- rather I try to take her upstairs.

Howard has dead-bolted the door and locked us in the basement.

Oh Howard...