BS is 14.5. OSS is 14. Puberty hit BS like a semi truck. He's six feet of attitude. He's gotten a little better but that could just be because of circumstances beyond his control and he could be full-on attitudinal when I see him next.

Anyhow, we went shoe shopping for OSS today. He's been complaining/using any excuse he can come up with to get out of exercising. He has a week where it's a half day of golf followed by a half day of table tennis...and it's rained most of the week so all they've done for golf is the coveted driving range. He's been complaining about his feet hurting too much (five hours later) to walk the dog because of golfing (where he stood in one spot or sat while taking turns driving). He's also complained about toe and knee problems. He does whatever he can to sit still so doing any activity would affect muscles that have atrophied.

We noticed his feet do overpronate so I suggested instead of any old tennis shoe that he get shoes for motion control. Well he's now at the in-between size from kids to men so there are hardly any choices. He needs good shoes. He was sullen and mumble-y and basically shitty about the whole thing because we could not find the cheap slipper/sneakers in exactly the color he wanted. Wouldn't look for shoes. Sat with his hands deep in his pockets with a shit look. Separately and unknown to the other, both DH and I told him to get up and help since it is shoes for him, not for us.

The part that makes me guilty happy? DH can no longer claim that BS is the sullen, uncooperative kid and his kids are stellar models of cooperation and responsibility. (Even DH was frustrated, had words with OSS, made him help, and said to me privately that OSS was a shit.)

I like OSS but it took all my willpower not to thank him for his craptastic attitude...because it meant they are all getting to be crabby teens. (DH even told me that YSS is being difficult with BM and she was thankful to get a break from it.)

Doing the happy "it's not just me and mine" dance right now.