Typical Day

This morning I had a lot of housework to do since I got busy writing last night and didn't clean up the house. So while I cleaned the girls played and watched part of a movie. We did something that I'm trying to make a habit- prayers and a short devotion at breakfast. Then D took them to the preschool story time at the library, which one of us takes them to every Wednesday. They read a story about caterpillars and then made caterpillars out of egg cartons. While they were gone, I went to the Women's Business Network meeting. When we all got home, the girls and I ran a few errands- to the bank, the dump and to pick up some tools D had left at a friend's house. Then D left for work and the girls and I followed an interest with measuring cups and fractions.

Today was another great reminder for me- when I'm frustrated at the way things are going, just take a deep breath and wait as we had some cleaning and decluttering issues come up and be resolved.

The girls played in the wading pool while I cooked dinner- it's so nice to finally have a yard! After dinner we cleaned up the house and then walked to the store up the street so they could spend their money. Every week they get $2 that they can spend however they choose. L bought M&M's and chalk and E bought a toy turtle that swims in the water.

I'm trying to remember all the little things that happened today: I read them a book about sheep that drive a jeep and get it stuck in the mud. LOTS of rhyming word and they had fun with those. I gave them piggy back rides and they played with the baby a lot.

I hardly write about the baby! But she doesn't do much yet. She is crawling, pulling herself up and cruising a little. She loves watching her sisters play and they find it hillarious to do slapstick comedy to get her to laugh. She got her first two teeth about a week ago.

I posted this on facebook right before bed: My kids are "watching a movie" on the cupboard door. They are discussing the plot "wow, look at Ariel going in that hole! And the airplanes are flying and crashing into each other!" and using an imaginary remote to change movies. They have even made themselves a bed on the floor in front of their "movie." These kids are allowed to watch movies any time they want, but they are doing this instead.


It's not all roses- several times today they hit and pinched each other over things like E putting her feet on L's chair or L jumping on the couch while E was laying on it. Sometimes I was able to help them work through it in the most smooth, beautiful way- having both of them tell the other one what they need, asking them to give ideas for a solution, finding one that worked, suggesting apologies and amends which they willingly gave and moving on. But at one point I had to keep E with me for about half an hour because every time she got near her sister she started something and was not interested in solving anything. So she sat on the counter while I did dishes and cleaned up the kitchen and by the time I was done she had worked out whatever internal issue she had going on and was much more pleasant to be around.

Now they are fast asleep in their bed, dreaming good dreams I hope.