Honestly? As good days go, today was really... quite... epically great. Can I say that? Yeah. Epic Day.
We started the morning with Honeycombs and, really, what's not to love about a day that starts with sugar cereal in front of the cartoons?
Very quickly after breakfast we dressed ourselves, and the boys and I headed out to a playgroup where crafty alligator-fridge-clip-magnet things were made.
On a whim, we dragged some friends along with us to the park down the road that is new and fabulous and I have somehow never been to. The playground there is divided in two - the smaller-ish kid equipment is on one side of the basketball courts and the bigger (and more full of falling off places) equipment is on the other side, safely out of sight if you want your toddler to stay on the small monkey bars that look like a fire truck and not try the plastic-mock-rock-climbing wall of death. We started on the small area and then progressed to the bigger one, where Toby proceeded to laugh with impunity in the face of my irrational caution and made short work of said wall of death. Yes, my two-and-a-half-year-old is more able to engage in physical activity without injury than I am... and such is the injustice of the universe.
We went from the park to ye olde local Walmart where spades, trowels, rakes, and flowers were procured. Also I might have purchased a very large bouncy ball for no particular reason, as well as two very small folding lawn chairs.
On the way out we hit the drive-thru and scored some corn dog nuggets (yes, corn dog nuggets. I love the A&W with unholy love, I do) for the kids and one Coney Island Chili Cheese Dog for me. We took our booty home and had an impromptu picnic on the lawn.
After our picnic, and while the dog frolicked in the back yard, the boys and I planted bunches of pansies, daffodils and snapdragons along the front walkway. I also found the energy to prune the apple tree back and even remembered to spray the cut scars with tar-type sealant spray. This explains the odd-looking black freckles across my cheeks and neck. Because I am talented like that.
By the time we finished the yard, Toby was wandering pant-less and barefoot around the front yard in a wet diaper that hung down to his knees. His runny nose was really quite impressive, too. It was at this point - the point where I realized that we were living up to the stereotype of people who live in our neck of the woods - that I finally cleaned up the tools and carried my filthy little ragamuffins into the house and directly to the tub.
After their bath the boys got eagerly into their jammies (eagerly!) and snuggled into their new lawn chairs with some Chex mix and milk to watch Enchanted with me. Yes, I subjected my little boys to this movie and I will not apologize. We all loved it, especially Toby - who fell asleep half way through while laying across my lap and with one arm around the dog's butt. I gathered my babies to me and looked around in wonder.
It was one of those perfect moments - really one of those perfect days - when I realize that this motherhood gig is more than just something I have to do every day to keep The Small Humans from spontaneously combusting: It is a Joy.
I love these loud, obnoxious, messy, demanding small people who probably will never quite appreciate the distance between the girl who met their dad while she was handing out the pay stubs at work one day... and the woman who is learning how to care for and raise them. I love the way they give kisses without any awareness of their dirty faces, the way they each put their hands in mine as we walk along in our little human chain, and the way their mythically long lashes rest on their chubby cheeks as they sleep.
When the movie's closing credits finally rolled I scooted Jack up to bed, put Toby in the crib, gave everyone good night kisses and headed down to my computer to record all of this before the thought escaped me, like water vapor dissipating into the air.
1 comment:
Those are the best moments aren't they. You did a great job capturing it before it was gone.
BTW I found your blog, I don't know when, put it in my bloglines list and read it from there instead of coming by. I am bad I know. I am resolving to quit lurking so much..
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