This weekend was a skid free weekend, DH and I had plans to go to a local fair, it is VERY small and VERY country, but we look forward to it every year. DH and I are walking around the fair when someone runs up behind us and says "boo", low and behold it is SS11. DH looks very surprised and says what are you doing here? We chit-chat for a minute or so and off SS runs. DH and I continue to walk around the fair, a little bit later we see SS again and he completely ignores DH. DH tries to talk to SS about what rides hes been on, and if he is excited for the tractor pull that starts soon, and SS just stares at him blankly, DH goes to give him a hug and tells him to come say bye before he leaves and SS just kinds stands there. We walk away and DH and I both agree that was very weird.

We enjoy the fair, and while walking around we see SS, BM, the new BF, and new BF's kids, but we kept our distance. We stayed until the end of the tractor pulls, when the fair was almost over, SS never came to say goodbye to DH, his feelings were obviously hurt. I reminded him that this is BM's time, to try not to let it get to him. DH then tells me that his text messages to SS usually go ignored, or are answered with one word, and SS very rarely calls DH during BM's time. But when SS is with us he texts BM a lot, tells her what he (we) are doing, where we are going, tells her how much he misses her, how much he loves her, how he can't wait to get home so they can snuggle and watch movies. Last Wednesday he called his mom 17 times in 3 hours!!!

Yesterday DH and I went for a walk and DH told me that his relationship with SS has deteriated since the divorce, that he and SS have always been very close, but not so much anymore. Things they once loved doing together hiking, metal detecting, being outdoors he doesn't want to do anymore, his excuse is that he is too tired, he just wants to "chill". But then he tells us he can't wait to go back to mom's because they are going to go for a hike, what the heck?? 

DH and I are always suggesting SS get involved in new things, we have suggested Scouts, karate, football, golf, etc. This summer we signed him up for camp on the days he was with us instead of just hiring a babysitter, he told us that we were forcing him to do things he didn't want to do. Once when we suggested football he said absolutely not, that he played soccer, he would never play american football, it wasn't real football, soccer was. Well guess what?? apparently moms new BF was a football star in high school, and guess who is now playing football? Yup, SS, and he is SOOOOO excited. 

SS is a good kid, but he is completely brainwashed and manipulated by BM. He has no thoughts for himself, and just repeats what BM tells him. I hate seeing DH so sad and discouraged. *sad*