A Taste of the Ideal

We've spent the past month settling into the routine of normal life. Daddy leaves for work in the morning, and the kids and I play. Seriously, I've felt like a play-at-home mom. We usually take an outing in the morning - we'll try a new splash park, head to the playground, Calypso Cove, Kazoing, or the YMCA. We're finally Y members, and it is SO nice to have an hour where the kids are taken care of and I can just exercise and watch HGTV. Spoiled. Or as we say around here, "spowlt" - spowlt rott'n. 

 What you do when your two-year brother is napping and unable to destroy your happiness.

Master P sulking at Kazoing after being scolded for throwing a ball at someone.

I haven't had any work or school demands, and it has been so refreshing to solely focus on my family and homemaking. I shouldn't coin the term "play-at-home mom," because it's definitely work to keep everyone happy, fed, clean, clothed and learning.  Some days are harder than others.The boys sure know how to tease each other, scream, wrestle and whine, and while Preston is 100% potty trained, he's 0% poo-poo trained, so that's been wonderful fun.

 But things improve with time. The other day, we had a breakthrough Chick-Fil-A visit. Both boys stayed right by me until we finished ordering, then ate all their food without spills or fits. Preston didn't assault anyone in the play place, poop his pants or roll on the ground. We walked out of there holding hands across the parking lot and as they climbed into their own seats, I almost couldn't believe how good they'd been. 

I guess as your kids grow up a little, you don't want to slit your wrists as you leave public places as often. As I reflected on this a grateful smile played at my lips; then I remembered we're having another baby in a few months. 

But I am so happy about that. Really. Before conceiving, I pondered the incredible miracle children are...and all those who want so badly to have them, but are unable to. I think of those sweet people a lot. I made a little promise that if I could be pregnant again, I'd try to do it without complaining. Well lo and behold, this has been our easiest pregnancy by far, and I really have nothing to complain about! It's as if the heavens are helping me keep my promise....or trying to compensate for the fact that this little boy is going to be super, duper bad. :)  

The day Andrew got his first paycheck we went out and bought a sprinkler to help revive our dead lawn. Here's the boys' first backyard sprinkler experience. 

Hanging with this stinker during Sunday night dinner at Grammy and Gramp's house.

Anyway, homemaking...it does take more time to keep this place clean than our little condo. But we're so happy here. And cooking - the past couple years of us both busy with school and work made for much simpler meals at our house (as in, lots of quesadilla/"oops I forgot to plan dinner" nights). But lately it's been so much easier to have a real meal on the table when daddy rolls in around 5:30. He is only on call once every 3 weeks, and even then he's only had to go in to the office 2 or 3 times. He stays really busy with patients during the day, but he loves it (AND having access to a sweet doctor's lounge with chilled drinks and catered food at all times. Lucky...that's like my ultimate dream), and I'm so grateful for the way things are going.

Most nights when the kids go down, Andrew and I have time to watch something together, just as in days of yore. Somewhat tragically, folding clothes while watching the Bachelorette is one of my week's highlights (I hate myself a little for loving it...this season is awful, but I am still watching and dragging Andrew down with me). It really is the most entertaining sociological experiment.

We're in a beautiful phase where everyone sleeps through the night (another thing we'll kiss goodbye come October), so I have the focus and energy to stay on the boys when they're out of line, read to them lots, keep up our good family habits and even plan little Family Home Evenings instead of having the whole affair be an afterthought. Gotta say, I'm kind of loving these traditional gender roles and feel so lucky to be putting my best efforts toward the people that matter most. 

All that said, I am a little bummed to be starting work on my thesis. I take my program's final capstone course this fall, but since our new guy is arriving early October, need to get as much done ahead of time as possible. More on all that later. 

For now, I just want to document and drink in this month that has been such a taste of the ideal.