it was worth it... maybe

K.. and I were by ourselves earlier in the week.  It was so nice to have some time with him.  On Monday night, I was feeling especially sentimental.  I was thinking about how he never really got time alone with mom before (though he is about to have every Wed. since A. will be in school).  I was thinking about how big he is getting and how he is moving from a toddler to a preschooler.  I was thinking about how we have actual conversations instead of baby talk.  Finally, I was thinking about how Daddy was coming home the next night and so this would be our last night alone.  So, I let him sleep in my bed.  I went to bed early and read with a book light while he snuggled his warm little body up to mine.

 Then, 1 hour later, I got up and moved to the other side of the bed because he has successfully made me feel squished in a king sized bed.  Then, 1 hour later, I got up and moved to the other side of the bed because had successfully moved over enough to make me feel squished again in a king sized bed.  Repeat, repeat, repeat.  2 times I woke up because he kicked me so hard in the stomach that it actually made me cough.  At that point, I wasn't feeling sentimental anymore.  I was feeling regretful. But, then I looked at the sweet little angelic face and went back to sleep

Well, since Monday, he has gotten up at 5:30 to come into my bed.  The first day I let him in.  Then, I realized that 1 night of Mommy gushy nostalgia has successfully changed his sleeping habits.  The second day, I got up with him and came downstairs since B. had gotten home at 2:30 am and was trying to sleep.  Well, now it is day 4 and I put him back to bed and he screamed for the next 30 minutes until 6:00 when I felt it was a somewhat respectable time to get up.  

K., 

I really do miss the cuddly little baby that you were.  I"m so happy that you are having conversations with me and that your interests are changing from just balls, trucks, and dirt, to well, big balls,cement mixers and tractors, and digging dirt.  But, you are much more pleasant when you sleep until at least 6:00.  I'd even prefer a little bit longer.  Please remember the extra time with mommy but forget that it was in my bed.  Forget that you thought it was very comfortable.  Now, go back to your cozy big boy bed and go back to sleep!

Love,

Mom

happy

K. and I have been on our own since Sunday.  A. is at my mom's for Bible School and B. has been away for work.  (Where does a golf course superintendent go for work you ask.  That's right, it's a golf tournament...)  K. is a totally different kid with out his sister.  He is chatty chatty.  Usually, at the dinner table, he will say 1 or 2 sentences in between everyone else's conversations.  He might get a "Holy Night" somewhere thrown in there, or his new random word, "Happy."  However, this week, he hasn't shut up.  Last night at dinner we had kale chips, watermelon, and a hot dog.  He asked me about every single food, then kept repeating the words.  Maybe to fill the silence.  Then the rest of the conversation went something like this
K:  Mommy, happy
Me: Yep, I"m happy.  Are you happy?
K: hot dog happy?
Me: I guess.  eat it and see if your tummy is happy
K: takes a bite.  Yep, tummy happy.  Knee happy?

I think you get the point.  We pretty much went over every food and every body part to make sure that we are all happy.  It probably took 15 minutes.  15 minutes of just chatting with my boy and being happy.

something unexpected

I mentioned before that our egress window is now a trap for any and all small animals.  Though I love that my kids are interested in saving them and love to look, chase, touch, and basically terrify each and every one of these animals, I'm not all about getting in there myself.  Thankfully, our neighbor doesn't mind.

He found 6 frogs that had jumped to their impending demise without his saving grace.  He taught both kids how to find them and pick them up.  They probably chased them for 30 minutes.  Well then, momma opened her big mouth and said something like, "maybe we should cook them and have frog legs."  I. was. kidding.  Our neighbor said, "Oh yeah, that is so good. But, these are too small, we need to go get the big ones down in the pond."  Insert foot in mouth.  Now I back peddled with as many excuses as I could.
1) me: Well, I don't really know how to cook them.
neighbor: do you have a big pot, it's pretty easy


2) me: Don't you have to skin them. i don't know if I could do that.
neighbor: we can youtube it.  That's how I learned before

3) me: uuummm

So, The kids put on their rain boots and grabbed their nets.  .

Neighbor was so cute with them.  He held their hands when they were close to the water.  He didn't get frustrated when A. kept trying to yell to tell me that they saw one.  

He didn't get frustrated when K. got scared and wanted to come back up to the safety of the bank of the pond.  He just walked him back up.  He didn't get frustrated when A.'s boot filled with water and she had to come back and dump them out.  He basically didn't get frustrated at all.  

He just walked around with them searching for over an hour.  He only stopped when a 3 foot snake was laying on a pile of rocks.  Thankfully, this happened before they caught a frog

Moral of the story, be grateful that my kids get these experiences with only my distant supervision and shut your mouth or it may not be distant supervision!!!