twists & turns of middle school

I saw something about a middle school dance held just after school and as C had not mentioned a word about to me & I asked if was planning on going as money & a permission slip were required. I was given a very terse and very quick "I am not going and don't want to discuss this matter" response. Naturally my first inclination was oh quit being silly this stuff is fun I am going to make you go. Obviously not a stellar parenting decision so while I entertained the thought I did let the entire matter drop. Imagine my surprise at the frantic phone call from school Friday asking for money & a signature for the dance the same day. Thankfully MIL handled it for me including spending money so he could buy pizza. Reports back were that C took no part in actual dancing but played basketball with friends the entire time and did indeed have fun!

things that make you go hmmmm

as C's phone began to ring he ran flying down the hallway with so he could take the call in his room......WTH? momma is sooo very not ready for the teen years, I may need smelling salts

why yes I am just talking to hear myself talk

I believe we have hit the hard of hearing tween/teen years with C.
He has a big end of the year project involving reading a biography, further research of biography's subject, writing a speech about said person and some sort of visual poster type thing and a costume of some kind to represent this person. After some dithering back and forth George Washington Carver was chosen, a book procured & I asked C to start reading a couple of chapters at a time while taking copious notes to assist in the rest of the project. After the first few chapters I suggested he might try to take better more detailed notes of the chapters
"yes Mom"
Naturally the note taking did not get much better. The first installment of the project, a series of questions to aid in the speech is due next Tuesday. I asked that he begin to start filling that out, in his notebook so we could go over it before it got put to paper. Of course he started writing it on the paper directly and already two questions in I need to buy white out...do they still make white out? Not to mention he did not even touch the stuff till I walked in the door and asked him why he was not working on it.
At some point I needed to dash out & pick something up just as David texted in instructions for C to take care of some general household cleaning duties. C was concerned which should he do first? I told him do chores then get back to his project. I must have been a little short & exasperated with him because while I was out he sent "I am sorry" text. I replied that it was fine he just need to make sure his chores & school work were always done before tv time.
And I swear I could not make this up C texted me back "does this mean I can watch tv now?'
NO work on your project
*sigh*

"good idea Mom"

why thanks C I was really looking for that affirmation from you...but guess what I knew it was a good idea when I said it and even if you didn't agree you were still gonna have to do it whatever it was I asked you to do

happy birthday

precious C you are loved more than you could ever know.

Now quit growing up so damn fast!

he is well on his way to a law career

or perhaps a hostage negotiator?
I have no idea all I do know is C seems to under the impression that everything warrants a discussion and is open to some sort of negotiation process. And quite frankly it is driving me absolutely crazy. I find myself pulling out the tried and true "because I am your mother that's why"
not exactly original but effective