The Daddy vein

The other day, Aria, Joe and I were in the car. He was driving. And I still thought there was a good chance he was going to jump over the backseat and throttle her. Here's what happened.

It was one of the hot days we've been having recently. Our heat pump has been working admirably, and my migraines have been few. But still, just going from the house to the car seemed to take a massive amount of effort. We went to Office Depot to get some stuff to organize the mail. We walked in the store..and it was like walking through a veil of chilly goodness. I was almost cold...almost. We got what we were looking for, and Aria had been pretty good, so we agreed to buy her a treat: an insulated Hello Kitty lunchbox. Remember the good behavior I mentioned? It vanished as soon as we got to the cash register. She had a freak out because Daddy--whom she had given the lunchbox to a few moments earlier so she could play--put the lunchbox on the counter instead of her. I'm sure she was tired, and I know she was hungry, but still, it was rather extensive. We went out to the car with the fit still being thrown, doing our best to ignore it, as she wasn't attempting to hit us or break anything.

Move forward perhaps five minutes. Aria in the backseat, holding her new lunchbox. Joe and I up front, explaining our unhappiness at her behavior. One of us says that next time she gets a treat it will be for the entire trip. After all, I didn't want to take away something I had already given her, upon previously stated stipulations (that she be good in the store). It would not be fair, and she'd be unable to trust further deals we made with her. So I said that if she acted like this again, she wouldn't get another treat. And this is the statement that made Joe's Daddy vein (you know, the one in his forehead, near Fredrico*) begin to bulge in his forehead: "But I already got my treat." Her voice, so sweet and innocent. Joe couldn't even talk. I tried not to laugh. Definitely better outlined goals before the next outing-related treat.

*Fredrico is the name I have given to the face the appears in Joe's forehead when he's angry. It's awesome. Two slitty eyes and a mouth.