Smiles all around

Today was one of those days. You know...one of the GOOD days. Actually...we've been having quite a few good days. I find myself...really really enjoying my kids. Sure, they are constantly tackling/chasing/screaming...which is annoying. Sure, they whine and moan and complain whenever I serve them food but also whine and moan and complain all day that they are hungry. Sure, they have some bad habits. Like Lily has started shushing me the minute I start in on her. Yes, she shushes me...finger to the lips and everything. I made the mistake of laughing the first time she did it, and so now she thinks it is acceptable. Heaven help her teachers.

But mostly I am enjoying them. I enjoy that I don't have to wait for Lily to go to bed to do fun things with Andrew...they are starting to be able to do it together. Now just a year or so until Michael is one of the gang as well. (Just. Stop. Eating. the Crayons. And the chalk. And the dry pasta...seriously...stop it). I can't believe how much I enjoy my 2 hours to myself in the afternoon. And how quickly I've come to expect it. Michael only slept for 45 minutes on Wednesday and when I heard him, I was all, "Say WHAAAAAA? Nuh-uh, honey, dis is Momma's time. You be trippin'" Or something like that. Needless to say, he "played" in his crib for a while longer.

Here's how our successful day went today.

6am-9:30am...get up, serve breakfasts, nobody complains, clean the house for playgroup, realize that my house is actually not that bad due to the 2 hours sans children I have in the afternoons each day, get kiddos dressed and threaten their lives if they wrestle/chase/tackle/scream while our visitors are here.

9:30-11:30...playgroup. Almost kill Andrew and Lily for wrestling/chasing/tackling/screaming while visitors cringe in fear. But after pouting because he got yelled at and separated from his sister, Andrew gathers all the children together in a circle and they take turns making up stories. ALL CHILDREN...in a circle...quietly telling stories. For like an hour. Moms sat in another room and drank coffee. It was a small miracle from heaven.

11:30-12:30...lunchtime/tv time. Children zombify in front of Harold and the Purple Crayon and eat lunchmeat and peanut butter (not together...one child had the one...you get the idea). Children love this DVD from library...we had the book last week and got the DVD this week. They are in wonder and awe. I am appreciating the change from the 24/7 Peep marathon.

12:30-3:30...drive to bus stop due to torrential downpour, Andrew gets on bus, 2 littles take naps, I do nothing...sweet sweet nothing. I cleaned in the morning, so I took the afternoon off!

3:30-5:30...get Andrew from bus stop, children come in and happily play their wrestle/chase/tackle/scream game. Give all 3 baths. Leave to pick up Jeff from the Honda dealership where he's gone from work to get serviced.

5:30-6:30...got to Wendy's for dinner. It has been...MONTHS since we've gone out as a family and sat in a restaurant. The kids were so excited and behaved so well. Lily said, "Oh snap." when she dropped a french fry. I literally thought I broke a rib I laughed so hard. Then I followed Michael around the nearly empty restaurant while everyone ate their Frosties. He waved at the employees and hollared "Da!" when he saw Jeff...every single go around. Andrew finished his dessert and came and started following Mikey with me. Then he earnestly said, "You go sit down and enjoy your ice cream, Mom. I've got Mikey. I'm serious." So. stinkin'. cute. Oh! And Michael wore his "winter/fall" shoes for the first time. They are so cute I might just eat his feet. I'll have to post pictures. The cutest thing of all is how pleased he is with his shoes. He just exclaims with joy as he points to them.

Other highlights? Lily pooped on the potty today...she asked me out of the blue if she could use the potty. She did the same thing 2 days ago. I haven't changed a poopy diaper (for Lily) in 5 days. A girl could get used to this.

Michael is officially in love with books. He is always bringing us books and wanting to sit up on our laps to read them. He is saying all these animal sounds...kind of out of the blue. He comes up with new words every other day or so. Yesterday was "sit". Last week, "down". He is saying "tan" for thank you and "mo" for more. I can't think of any more at this minute...but it is so fun.

Andrew is doing awesome in school. My friends report that their daughters (in the same class) are always mentioning the things Andrew does. Like there was a bus altercation, and they were trying to figure out who hit who. Andrew suggested that they line up and let the victim pick out his assailant. So that's what they did. I didn't even know this had happened until my friend called to let me know her daughter couldn't talk about anything else. All Andrew had said was that he didn't like indoor recess. Didn't mention he was the mediator for the class ;)

Jeff is really enjoying his job. The commute kind of stinks, but he appreciates that he doesn't have to drive it. He's really trying to get back into fencing, but just generally seems pretty content and happy.

Life is good. We have awesome kids and we are just really really happy. And I really suspect that my 2 hours in the afternoon while the littles nap play a very big part in me noticing. ;)