A giant playgroup

I'll be honest. Playgroups save my sanity most weeks. I only get half of any one's story because at least one of my 3 kids interrupts me...despite my attempt to ignore them. Someone is always fighting or getting hurt. But being connected to these other women is so soothing to the soul. Andrew is always wrestling or growling or some other aggressive behavior. Know what? The other 4 & 5 year old boys are doing the same thing. Lily is throwing tantrums hourly. Know what? The other 2 year olds are too. This mom has a great recipe to get her kids to eat veggies and that mom has the best cure for diaper rash. Sounds thrilling, eh? Occasionally we discuss current events too. But usually the kind that comes from People magazine or the TV guide. There is a reason my brain cells are fusing.

The only bad part of playgroups is that you have to host every once in a while. I don't really enjoy this part...partly because I'm a terrible hostess. My house is not baby proofed, so I always greet everyone with a reminder that choking hazards abound, the steps are not gated, and the cabinet doors are cracked and dangerous. Then there's the lack of decorating, which I have said before doesn't bother me in the least...until people come over. Then I just walk around noticing how there are no curtains and the walls aren't painted, and, gee, a picture or two on the wall wouldn't hurt, eh? (all of which is instantly forgotten when they shut the door behind them).

I had evening playgroup over last Thursday. It used to be Andrew's morning playgroup, but then they all were enrolled in different pre-school programs on different mornings, so we moved it to 4 pm. Which sounds nice...because even the working moms in our group can make it. But our children are much bigger now than they were when we started this playgroup...they are louder and more destructive and take up more space. Also, their younger siblings were helpless babies and toddlers when we started...and now they are legitimate destructors and fighters and eaters as well. So it is A LOT when we get together. But somehow we decided that whoever hosts should make dinner for the kids, so they don't go ape-shit crazy around 5 pm. Which is actually a very good idea...because it is distracts the children for a good portion of the night.

So I've never hosted this group. I actually never even went at the beginning of the school year, because Michael was going to bed around 6, so it wasn't really worth it. But now we are going regularly, so now I needed to host. I decided to make dinner for the grownups as well to make up for the 8 months of mooching off of them. I spent the morning cutting veggies and fruit, making deviled eggs, guacamole for the adults, and some shredded chicken for sandwiches, stocking up at the grocery store, getting out serving trays and bowls for snacky food, etc...all while getting Andrew to and from school, keeping Michael from killing himself (see below), and Lily entertained. That evening, there were 14 kids, 6 mothers, 1 dog (locked up, of course) all over for dinner! Jeff came home, commented to me that there didn't seem to be enough adults to account for all those children, and went outside to mow the lawn. He threatened to grease up his hairless chest and mow shirtless...you know, to entertain the lay-days. He did not. I wouldn't want to make them jealous (ha ha...snort...ha ha)

It was actually quite fun. The grass was long and wet, but the kids went outside to play on our play system anyway. Nobody found our foam swords (another hazard at our house), and other than Andrew body-slamming the girls and getting into trouble 10,000 times, everyone had a good time. When they left, our house was in shambles...but that's not really strange for us ;) The next day was the worst. The floor was sticky from smashed strawberries and chocolate cupcakes. It was raining, so every time the dog went out, she brought in the fresh grass clipping on her fur, which then stuck to the sticky floor. My kitchen was tarred and feathers, basically. I can't wash the floor when the children are awake...the little children, that is, because Michael won't get out of the way of the sponge and Lily insists on walking in the wetness...which always results in falling. So we just stuck to the floor all morning. Ew.

But it is worth it. Because tomorrow, I get to go to someone else's house and have my kids fed and worn out. And I'll probably discuss the latest celebrity who lost 50 pounds after childbirth by Just. Breastfeeding. Nothing gets us more riled up... ;)

Randoms:

--One of my favorite things about 2 year olds is their speech development. It goes through phenomenal changes during that 12 month period...and each little speech impediment is so brief...and so cute. I was almost sad when Andrew lost his little speeching quirks. Lily is still a long way off from losing it, but now she is mostly understood by strangers. So I know it is coming. One of my favorites right now is her requests for "yoop-yoops". Froot Loops. We got a box for our trip to Ohio and we are STILL finishing it off. I almost want to buy another box just to hear her request for yoop yoops over and over again.

--Michael is OBSESSED with the fans and light switches in this house. Lily went through this as well. He just points at the switches and grunts, then points at the fan and grunts. Over and over. And if you let him play with the switches...oh! The face of pure joy!

--Andrew made up a joke. "Q=What did the boy say to his mother after she handed him a PB&J sandwich? A= I'm very grape-ful!" Pretty good, eh? He finally understands puns!

--We go through eating phases in this house. One week, I can't have enough yogurt stocked up. The next week, nobody likes it. Argh. Last week (and this) is apparently a "No yogurt" week. I had some that was going to expire, though, so I was pushing it. Which simply resulted in opened yogurt containers covered in plastic littering our fridge. Cut to finding Michael sucking on a drinkable yogurt container...that he dug out of the recycling bin. Ew. Evidently I need to start serving him from the trash cans to make things edible.

--Speaking of Michael, this kid is clever! He is going to be my engineer...no talking, just quietly figuring stuff out. He can now un-latch the dog's kennel...which my older two children have not figured out yet. He found that my china hutch can easily be opened...and when I pile bins of toys in front to discourage him from it, he just methodically moves them to get to the doors. He's got light switches figured out...he even knows which switch goes to which light...as evidenced by him pointing and grunting as he sees a light, then reaching for the exact switch to turn it on. He can flip the toilet seat up in a flash...another thing my other two never quite figured out as babies. -sigh- It would be more aggravating, except he is just having a blast...which is quite fun to watch.