I had two really good plans today.
Plan #1:
Nick was going to take Nate and Jay to an appointment, and I was going to enjoy two quiet hours to myself.
Reality #1:
E was coughing throughout the night, and he sounded horrible this morning. We gave him a neb treatment, which didn't help at all, so we kept him home from school. So, instead of my two peaceful hours, I sat with a coughing, sad little boy who had wanted to go with his daddy and brothers. The
only thing he wanted to do with me was watch Justin Beiber on You Tube. Give.me.strength. He didn't even know who Justin Beieber was, but the neighborhood kids have been talking about him. Now he knows, and I'm just praying that he
forgets by tomorrow!
Plan #2:
It was a beautiful day, and we sent the kids outside for a little while while Nick was making dinner. I told them that Daddy and I were going to have a date. We weren't going out to dinner or a movie; we were going to sit in the kitchen and finish sentences!
Reality #2:
Some kids are slower than others at actually getting out the door, so exactly four seconds after the last one left, the door opened again, and E came in, looking for a toy.
He went back out, and I looked at Nick and said, "Five, four, three..." Honestly, I didn't even get to three! On the count of four, the door opened again, and Jay came running in to use the bathroom.
Then I heard E outside, gagging from coughing so hard. We repeated the warning that he wasn't allowed to run around.
Jay went back outside, and the instant that door closed, I heard GracieGirl's sobs, and the door opened again. I heard Nate say, "I was just kidding; I wasn't trying to hurt your feelings! Don't go in there; Mom and Dad are having a date!" The sobs subsided and the door was pulled closed.
Two seconds (sadly, I'm
not exaggerating) later, GracieGirl started crying loudly, and Nate opened the door and said that she hit the side of her head on the pavers, and then ran away, crying. Nick told him to hurry and go after her, so Nate shut the door and ran.
The door flew open, and GracieGirl came in, crying hysterically. I asked her if her head was okay, but she finally said, between sobs, that she was crying because everyone ran after her. I said that Nate was just making sure that she was okay. She cried that it was okay for
him to go after her but not the kids from the neighborhood!
I stroked GracieGirl's hair and wiped away her tears...and the door flew open again.
At that point, I told Nick that as much as I'd enjoyed our time together, I'd officially given up on
ever trying to talk to him, and I would email him!
Then, being the calm, cool, collected mom that I am, I told the kids to wash up, sit down, and eat their dinner
as fast as they could so that they could go right up to bed, and then maybe my head could stop pounding!
That was when E, never one to miss an opportunity, offered to say the blessing. Very quietly, and
very slowly, with his head bent low, he proceeded to thank God for every single person and animal on the planet, one name at a time, with a dramatic pause in-between.
I failed to see the humor in it at the time, but, now, six hours later when my headache has almost subsided, I do find it funny. Just gotta love that kiddo...
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