The Painted Penguin

Ok, this post will bring me up to date...finally! Yesterday we went to The Painted Penguin with a friend from church, where the kids got to pick out some ceramic thing to paint.

Elijah chose the Tazmanian Devil

Levi chose a Darth Vader head,
and Eden chose a unicorn, thinking it was a My Little Pony.

They all did a great job, though I would have to give Eden credit for the most colorful project. The kids were supposed to use one brush per color and while Elijah and Levi could comply, little Eden probably never heard it, or if she did hear it, she forgot 2 seconds later because she would dip her brush in 4 colors before bringing it to her pony. After a while, her pony started to look a bit muddy, but it was pretty, fluorescent pink neck and all!I was going to paint an "M" for Micah's room, but they were all out, so I chose an "S" instead and did a little dry-brushed look on it to put in the entry way, perhaps. Here's mine in the drying/coating room getting the sealer put on. These aren't fired at all, but they still turn out rather nicely.At the end of the day, we were all in Levi and Titus' room for Bible story before bed and I'm not sure what Levi was doing, but his bad and ever-negative attitude prompted me to have him tell me one thing he did today that he liked. FYI Daddy stayed home today, they played baseball in the yard, we went to the Painted Penguin, we went back to the play area in the mall for a while, rode one of the little rides, had some friends over and the boys took a shower in mommy and daddy's shower...just a few things we did. He got all worked up about not remembering anything he did today, much less anything fun. When I listed all these things, and continued on about naming one of them that he liked, he continued crying and saying he didn't remember. Tim took him out of the room for a moment, then he was able to mumble out that the Painted Penguin was only a little bit fun, but...I cut him off before he could complain about whatever it was he didn't like. I need help on this kid. If asked, he would say he doesn't get to do fun things. 60% of the time he is very easily disgruntled, doesn't like to help, gets upset at the drop of a hat (generally when asked to do things) can't handle defeat and will quit games so he doesn't lose, complains...need I go on? He's just negative. The other 40% of the time he is fairly close to perfect. I don't get it. I wonder if it's hereditary...? Any opinions you mothers out there may have for me? We have a real "glad/joy" deficiency here. Help!!!