10 minutes into the trip things got even worse when D started documenting the dissolution of G’s emotional state in her summer journal. G can’t stand it when she drops a piece of something in the car and can’t reach it. “PULL OVER, STOP THE CAR, …. NOW! …. NOW!!!” Cindy had just jammed on the brakes when a small car jumped in front of us and Gemma’s pieces had flown out of her lap.

The typical family response to our youngest demands in this case is for D and Cindy to start telling her how she is being unreasonable and then all the girls and Cindy talk, talk and talk about it. After that, they …. talk about it. After a while, I usually yell, “EVERYONE STOP TALKING ABOUT IT.” Gosh, I wonder where G gets it from.

Things got better quickly after that.

Now we are in Austin listening to the rumbling of 10 Harley Davidson Motorcycles in the parking lot and D and G fighting in bed. G is tired and hyper and D is jabbering continuously. Currently, D is in the closet talking about how she is trying to read without a light. G is in the girls’ bed worrying that if she talks at all the people next door will call security to kick her out of the hotel. (Cindy can be pretty convincing with so called natural consequences).