Wednesday, August 17, 2011

This Is My Life: Wednesday

Apparently the last night's softball game tuckered Micah out. He slept until 8:30 this morning. He was barely up, dressed, and sitting down for breakfast when it was already time for me to put Annalyse down for her morning nap.

While Micah ate and Annalyse slept, Grady Lee watched cartoons and made Lite Brite designs. Curious George was a rerun of a rerun of a rerun because both boys practically recited the entire episode.
While the boys displayed their memory skills, I decided Sharky was long overdue for some fresh water. Water that was clear and didn't have floaties.
I also got through another two loads of sweaty, sandy, popsicle-y clothes. Summer seems to do that.
In the background I had a box of spaghetti boiling for a craft/game/project to do with the boys later in the morning. Something that I saw somewhere online... sure wish I could give credit where credit is due, but it was one of those things I stumbled on and knew my boys would have a riot trying it.
When Curious George was done, I sent Micah upstairs to play and Grady took a seat at the table for an hour of phonics and learning about maps. He's making valiant strides with reading and I think that deep down he's finding a sense of accomplishment when he can sound out words and actually read them without prompting. And, if I'm being honest, I love that I get to scream and hug him each time he reads on his own. We have a little party at the table, just the two of us. Kinda nice.
Meanwhile, I stuck my head in the toy room to check on Micah and I overheard him talking to himself about making lunch for the firemen at the fire station. I think he was concocting hamburgers and watermelon and cookies.
When laundry was folded and schoolwork was done, I told the boys to take off their shirts and head outside for "a super fun and super messy and super crazy idea." As they ripped off their shirts and flung them on the couch, they caught sight of the four bowls of colorful spaghetti I had sitting on the counter and they were elated. "What are we doing? Do we get to touch that? That looks gross! Do I have to eat that?"
For the record, the boys painted with spaghetti. An entire box of boiled spaghetti in tempera paint was theirs for the flinging, splatting, tossing, and painting.
They laughed. They created. They played.

The passing jogger stared. The next door neighbor tried to look without being obvious. It was great.
At 11:15, I (literally) threw the boys in the shower to rinse off and by 11:30 we were in the car heading to Grady's new office for a quick tour and to join him for lunch.
His new job has him working from this office about two weeks out of the month and the boys wanted to see "where daddy works hard so that he can buy us food and toys and save money for a boat."
After a quick tour and once Micah started playing with a large stapler and Annalyse cried with a high pitch shrill, we headed out for lunch. Thank you McDonald's for feeding my family entirely from the dollar menu.
We got home around 2:00 and it was nap time for Micah and Annalyse. Grady Lee colored and played with toys for an hour while I... I... what did I do? I emptied the dishwasher and I think I struggled with the computer some more trying to make sense of the current Blogger debacle I'm experiencing. And I think I wiped down the half bath. But I really don't fully remember because before I knew it, it was 3:30 and Micah was awake and I was getting Goldfish crackers and juice out for both boys.
The boys played with dinosaurs in the sandbox until it was time for dinner and I read books to Annalyse and took 15 minutes to sit on the floor and rest while she climbed and drooled all over me. She likes to crack herself up. She opens her mouth super wide and lets out the fakest laugh you've ever heard. Then, because the fakeness really does sound funny, I laughed in response which then made her let out a real laugh. So cute.

My little girl may be tiny and petite, but it is not for lack of interest in eating. Dinner tonight: slice of wheat bread, slice of cheese, a banana, two spoonfuls of peas and carrots, a handful of Cheerios, and a Gerber tub of squash. I think she would have ate more but we needed to pack up and lead out the door in order to make it to Grady's softball game.
His team played hard, but alas, they lost and so the season ended. On the bright side, he wore athletic socks tonight instead of dress socks. And, on the even brighter side, I actually remembered to try and take an action shot of him.
At the end of the game, the boys took turns, along with several other kids, hitting balls and running bases. Micah ever-so-slowly trots around the field and Grady Lee hustles as though something is chasing him and about to bite him. Such a difference in personality.
The routine of three fast bedtime routines is done, I've showered and had a brownie and a huge glass of ice water, and it's now just after 10:00 and I think I'll head upstairs to pick up where I left off on my book last night.

As I close today, I'm struck with how much I do each day and yet how little I do each day. It's ironic. It's oxymoronish. It's called "Motherhood."

I wish I had a camera following me to capture every hug, kiss, and I love you throughout the day, along with the simple moments of quiet discipline and instruction. Even in the down times of the day (I think that periodically I have those), I'm still working on shaping little minds, encouraging little souls, and molding little hearts.

And, that's the stuff that isn't usually documented and remembered, but that's the stuff I wouldn't trade for anything.

2 comments:

  1. How little you do each day??? I don't think so! You & WenYi always amaze me with all you get done in a day! I want to be like you when I grow up!!
    What a wonderful day you orchestrated for your family today! Love the spaghetti painting, looks like it turned out pretty! Blogger issues aside, I am impressed with how you can get a post written every day...I am weeks behind!
    Enjoyed seeing you guys 2 nights in a row at softball! Sad that it is coming to a close.

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  2. I loved your 'play-by-play' of each day - amazing how much you do each day - besides sit down!! Also have to comment on the laundry room -we have the same blue hamper thingy and I have kids pictures on the wall too :)

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