I have a confession to make...
(Don't tell my husband!)
I actually love the days when I have the kids all to myself from waking until bedtime (when he is traveling or stuck at work).
The kids and I usually do really well together on those days and have so much fun.
Maybe I make more of an effort when I know that I'm not going to have any breaks or help during the day?
Perhaps I go out of my way to ensure that they'll have a good time when I know the buck stops with me?
Possibly...
More likely, my three kids (knowing which side their bread is buttered on) just sync themselves to my rhythm and we pace well together all day long.
Who knows?
All I can say (whisper, confide) is that I sincerely enjoy the long hours spent caring for and hanging out with my kiddos... as long as I know that their awesome Dad is going to be back in the near future to spell me.
It would be a different story if something had happened; if I thought for some reason he wasn't coming back.
I wouldn't like THAT at all.
Thankfully, we're looking forward to a long and happy life together.
So... especially since I'm married to the "fun" Dad... every now and then it is really nice to spend quality time alone with my flock and feel like the hero who made their day truly enjoyable.
* * *
Today was one of those days!
My husband left this morning for Mexico at the crack of dawn to enjoy a fun day at the twice-yearly Rosarito to Ensenada Bicycle Race. He was very excited.
We didn't have much time to miss him, though -
We had to be out the door (the four of us) to get to soccer games just an hour later.
Happily, I was given the chance to be their hero!
Both boys had soccer games promptly at 9am - at two different fields 25 minutes apart. With their Dad and all grandparents out of town, it looked for a day or so like maybe we were going to have to choose between our sons to see who got to play soccer today.
I felt like Meryl Streep in Sophie's Choice.
How could I possibly choose between my sons?
The answer, obviously, is that I couldn't.
So, I found a way to solve the problem. I hired our babysitter (a soccer fanatic with several little brothers of her own) to watch my eldest son's soccer game while I played soccer mom at his little brother's game. While I was handing out snack bags filled with orange slices, string cheese and granola bars, my elder son was excitedly showing off his soccer skills for Sonya* his babysitter.
Win-Win!
The boys were thrilled, everyone enjoyed their time at the games, and by 11am they were clamoring for lunch.
Fast forward past a few errands we ran together...
We decided to come home and dedicate ourselves to a project we've been discussing for months.
The famous "Mommy-Can-We-Wash-The-Car" project!
(It never ceases to amaze me how differently small children look at hands-on jobs most adults consider to be unfortunate necessities. My children drool over washing the dishes. They beg to take out the trash. They ask me every single day if they can rake the yard or make their beds.
If only we could bottle this enthusiasm for manual labor and uncork it now and then when they become teenagers!)
* * *
While their little sister napped and played, my boys and I spent (1-2-3-4) FOUR hours detailing, scrubbing, vacuuming, washing and polishing our car.
And while yes, it *was* dirty and in need of a good cleaning, I would never have imagined how fulfilling and fun the process of washing a car could be - especially with two such eager helpers.
They were eager to dive into all of the worst parts of the job... hunting for old socks, toys and other treasures that had slid under the Driver's and passenger's seats; picking up wrappers from treats that had slid between the seats; helping to wipe down the dashboard gently with damp cloths to get rid of dust.
They were thrilled by the vacuum cleaner! Who knew that one useful machine could appear so magical to two little boys, who chortled and shrieked happily when I vacuumed within two feet of their toes.
Their favorite part, by far - the bucket of suds. My younger son dunked his wash-rags in the water over and over just to watch the bubbles scatter to the sides of the bucket. Both of them were so excited to be actively removing dirt from the car. They were DOING something. They were having a real EFFECT on something large and powerful, something of the adult world.
They focused with great seriousness as they ran their wash rags in circles over the shiny black paint, taking great care not to miss a spot.
Finally, after we dried the vehicle with soft clothes and I windexed all of the windows and mirrors, my sons stood back and looked at their work with pride.
"We DID IT!" they laughed and pointed. "WE WASHED THE CAR!!! DADDY IS GOING TO BE SO SURPRISED!!!"
"That's right!" I responded. "Your dad will ask us, 'Hey did you guys get the car washed yesterday?' and we'll tell him, "We ARE the carwash!!!"
They dissolved into a heap of giggles.
We took photos. They made silly faces for the camera. I vowed not to forget the sweetness of this moment: my two sons - getting along beautifully, having so much fun together - united in their pride of workmanship.
* * *
All in all, the car wash took over four hours. Our day wrapped up with dinner, baths, stories and large helpings of dessert.
"Mommy?" said my younger son as I tucked him in... "I love you."
"Mommy!" said my elder son as I tucked him in... "You're so silly. That was a fun day!"
By 8:30pm I found myself sitting alone, exhausted but so happy. Children fast asleep, house peaceful and serene, having accomplished something tangible while paying 100% attention to my two favorite little men.
Best of all, there had been NO fighting ~ everyone got along.
It was - dare I say it?
Gorgeous.
Don't tell my husband but sometimes, I really love spending long days alone with our kids.
It's nice to get the chance to be their hero AND the "fun" parent :-)
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