Overheard: "So mad at Mama"

This evening, right before dinner, the boys got in big trouble for "talking back to Mama." They were running around like little maniacs, and were so revved up that Kyle actually started choking and spit up. Owen then 'pretended' to spit up too by drinking some water and then spitting it all over the floor. They were both laughing so hard that I thought they were going to die from not breathing. I suppose this is real funny stuff if you're a three year old set of twins. Anyway, as the 35 year old mother, it was not funny. It was almost time for dinner and I told them --very firmly-- to calm down. I told them to go sit on the couch and do 10 deep breaths. Instead they both started running in circles around the downstairs. At that point they were in BIG TROUBLE. I grabbed them and got down to their eye level and said: "GO. SIT. ON. THE. COUCH." Kyle knew I meant business. He ran to the couch. Owen ran after him, but once he got on the couch he turned to Kyle and made a funny face. The two of them started cracking up laughing. I said: "YOU TWO BETTER WATCH IT!" At that point they both started laughing like crazy people. Owen then said: "WATCH IT!" in a crazy tone of voice, slightly under his breath. That, at least in this house, most definitely = talking back. Big time. I sent him straight to his room. He ran up the stairs and into his room, then proceeded to scream and cry up there like he was being tortured. Kyle sat as quiet as could be, on the couch, looking down at his lap, avoiding eye contact with Braydon and I, and not even daring to move a muscle. After about three minutes I told Owen to come downstairs, told Kyle to get off the couch, and told them both to go put their shoes in the laundry room and then wash their hands for supper. They dutifully and quickly walked straight to the laundry room (without making a peep) to take off their shoes. Braydon and I were in the kitchen, right outside the laundry room. This is what we overheard~~ Note: I felt like we were having a profoundly vivid flash-forward to their tweeny-pre-adolescent years with the two of them pow-wowing in private about how hard their life is having to have me as their mother...

Kyle: You o.k. Owen?
Owen: Yes. I'm o.k. Are you o.k. Kyle?
K: Yes, I am.
O: Oh. What happened Kyle? What happened to Mommy?
K: Mommy was mad. No, she was not mad, she was frustrated.
O: Oh. But I'm so mad at Mama. Kyle, you are mad at Mama too?!
K: Um, no, I'm not mad. Mama was just a little frustrated.
O: Oh. But, I'm so mad at Mama.
K: It's o.k., Owen, it's o.k. Mama was just frustrated. She's not mad now.
O: You're not mad at Mama Kyle?
K: No. I'm not. I'm not mad anymore.
O: Oh. But I'm so mad.
K: It's o.k. Owen, Mama's not mad anymore. I'm not mad at Mama anymore. It's o.k.
O: Oh. O.k.
K: You o.k. now Owen?
O: Um, yes. I'm o.k.

Post- Note: Only thing is that I have a feeling that in their tweeny-pre-adolescent years their little private pow-wow's won't resolve to be 'o.k. with Mama' so quickly and easily. God help me when we get to that point. ;0