Me & Marlin…

When trying to find a fun, enjoyable, not too taxing, not too long, not too exhausting or not too expensive activity that we can all do together as a family, with a 5 year old and a 9 year old, a boy’s boy and and a girly girl, a competitor and a “just here for the fun, so you have my turn” participant, choices, my friends are somewhat limited. That is where Marlin comes in….

The timid, fretful, widowed Marlin on his quest to find his son. Finding Nemo. Movie night! That’s a win right there?

Start the movie.

Pause the movie.

Ava wants hot chocolate.
The pillows are not in the right position on the couch.
We found the blanket and Asher the purple bear.

Movie is still paused.

Aiden won’t join us.
Aiden finally decides to join us via numerous Skype message requests.
He also wants hot chocolate.
Ava doesn’t want me to go make Aiden hot chocolate.
I go make the hot chocolate.

Movie is still paused.

Aiden gets comfy on the couch resulting in him encroaching on Ava’s space.
Ava kicks Aiden.
Aiden has the hump and leaves.
Aiden has stipulated he will not be returning until Ava apologises and I have in writing (via Skype) that this is the case.
Hot chocolate fast becoming cold hot chocolate.

Movie still paused.

Ava is being a cow (she is sick so taking huge liberties) and won’t say sorry.
Apparently he did something at some point somewhere to upset her and so he too needs to make amends.
Aiden has had to relent ever so slightly and has made his way downstairs in search of his now cold hot chocolate drink.
He has decided to sit it out, and wait for an apology.
Ava is not budging.

Movie still paused.

I pull out the big guns.
Movie night is cancelled.
Bedtime.
Wait nooooooo
Tears and drama.
Ava say sorry
No
Movie off.
Nooooooooo
Tears and drama.
Ava now can’t stop crying.
We wait for her to regain her composure and offer tissues.

Straight out of a black and white Elizabeth Taylor movie (I can only imagine as I’ve never sat and watched one) Ava slowly takes the tissue and says she simply cannot continue until she has wiped away her tears.

Movie is back on, but still paused.

Ava and I are waiting. Patiently.
Aiden… not so patiently.
Mom, I’m giving her like one or two minutes and then I’m done. I’m leaving.
We wait.

Movie still paused.

The tears have been gently wiped away.
All we can hear is the gentle humming of the fridge’s icemaker in the distance.
Ava opens her mouth and whispers I’m sorry.
Aiden has not accepted.

It wasn’t an honest proper apology as she didn’t turn to face him and look him in the eyes. (Hmm, so he CAN hear me and understand me when I’m yelling that to him)

Ava turns to face him and breathlessly repeats the apology. I’m sorry Aiden. (love how she throws in the personalisation there)

Okay, now we can carry on with Finding Nemo. Yay. This, this is what Monday nights are made for people.

Movie unpaused.

7 min later ….

Aiden is bored and has gone upstairs to watch someone recording someone, recording someone playing Fortnite on YouTube, I kid you not, while him and his buddy provide running commentary on Skype.

Ava has decided to retire to her bed chamber for the rest of the evening.
Clearly the evening was just too much for her.

So it’s just me and Marlin, Nemo’s dad?

I want to tell him that when he finds Nemo, and perhaps one day when he finds his special lady fish in the ocean who will love him for his overly protective, timid, fretful ways, that before him and the new missus decide to give Nemo a sister, they need to carefully understand the implications. They will not keep each other company. They will certainly not play nice with one another. Marlin, buddy, you will be referee, judge, jury, playmate, and if all goes well, watching family movies on Netflix all by yourself.

And then there is Dory.
You can’t really count on Dory, she can’t remember anything.
I wish I could be like Dory.

Movie night perfectly sorted.

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