Sorry Mom, Sorry.

So Clark has this new thing that he does, all the time, that is really cute... 

and also really annoying.  

He apologizes, for everything... everything.
You must think I am crazy for saying that is annoying, but just you listen and decide for yourself.

I can't even look cross eyed at him without him apologizing profusely at me.

"Sorry Mom, sorry."  In this whiny manipulating voice. "Be happy Mom, I'm sorry, BE HAPPY."

And the way he says it, with this overly apologetic tone, so dramatic... I have no idea where he learned how to act like that.  Also, I have no idea where this "be happy" thing came from.  But I have to be happy and smiling all the time.  If not, then we start the "I'm sorry and be happy" speech all over again.

It makes me feel like such a monster.
Like I am so mean to him all the time,
and he feels the need to just constantly walk around saying he is sorry. 

The other day he spilled a drink in the car.  I didn't say anything. I wasn't even mad.  I didn't even sigh in exasperation.  I just said oh well.  And he went on and on, "I'm sorry Mom, be happy, I'm sorry Mom, be happy".  Until I lost it, and I yelled, with the huge fake smile on my face, "I am happy, now shut up".

Nice one Mom.  Geez.  I just can't win.  I wasn't even mad...

This new phase makes disciplining him so hard.  Because instead of listening to me, he is so concerned that I am smiling and happy, that I can't even be stern or lecture him about something.  

I really don't know where any of this came from, or why it started.  I feel like I am happy a lot.  I am way lenient with him, and I hardly discipline him like I should.  We are a loud family, so I do yell probably more than I should, but most of the time it is not out of anger... I am just trying to be heard over all the noise.
I have been trying to check myself more lately, so I guess that is good, I try to not get as frustrated, and be calmer.  I just hate the feeling that I am being manipulated by a 4 year old.

Oy.  I'm just hoping this phase passes quickly.  I am tired of trying to reassure him that I am happy all the time.  And I really wish I could just give him a time out with it becoming such a huge production.