Friday, November 11, 2011

New Thing #67: Individual time & a note for the weekend

So I didn't post yesterday. It just didn't work into my day. Suck it up, buttercup (this is what I tell myself). I'll just get to it now.

Yesterday I needed to take LP1 to the doctor. We spent the first part of the morning doing all our usual morning things, like eating breakfast and playing and putting on Appropriate Clothes to Leave the House. In addition to being excellent at her job, our family doctor is a very elegant, well-put together lady. I always feel like I need to make a bit of an extra effort with my appearance when we go to see her. I'm sure that sounds ridiculous to you, that's how it goes. So I did make the attempt to look less like a refugee from the laundry bin. I don't know how successful I was, but I think I should get full marks for trying.

Taking two little kids to the doctor can be a bit of an ordeal. If I put them both in the stroller, it is big and bulky to get around and takes up most of the children's exam room at our doctor's office. They will play with the toys for a little while but then usually one decides they're not happy while the other one decides they want to get off the table, explore everything in the exam room and make a lot of noise while we're waiting for the doctor. Daddy suggested I drop LP2 off at his office to make it easier. I happily obliged.

LP2 spent about two hours at Daddy's office and from all accounts, they had a great time together. I thought it was nice that they got some father-son bonding time in the middle of the workday. They had a snack together and it sounds like they chased each other around the office. It is nice that Daddy works in the kind of place where a little person can drop in for a few hours. He has that kind of flexibility at work.

It was also nice to have some individual time with LP1. Having just one kid to load in and out of the car and take places felt different. I could give her my undivided attention. We played with some toys and read a few books while waiting for the doctor. We talked about whatever she wanted and spent some quality mother-daughter time. I absolutely love having two little people but yesterday I realized that I also like having one-on-one time with them. I hope I can do this with LP2 sometime soon. It's fun. I know people with three or four children under the age of 5. I don't know how they do it!

We collected LP2 and headed home for a late lunch and then some much-needed naps. There wasn't much time between when they awoke from their naps and when it was time for dinner to do anything together. Daddy had wanted to take LP1 with him after dinner to Home Depot (aka The Happiest Place on Earth) to pick up a few things for some work we're going to start around the house but she wasn't into it. So, in keeping with the day, LP2 went with Daddy and LP1 stayed home with me. She had a bath by herself (a rarity these days, since usually both kids are bathed together) and I read her a few extra bedtime stories. Just as we were finishing up, the boys came home and LP1 decided she wanted Daddy to do the final tuck-in. I took LP2 and started his nighttime routine. He went to bed a little later than usual, but we had a nice snuggle together.

I don't rightly know if this is a true "New Thing" but why argue over semantics? It was new for all of us and it was a chance for the LP to enjoy one-on-one time with us. I think that every now and then, it is great for all of us and it is something I hope we can continue.

The LP are at another half-day at daycare this morning. My plan is to pick them up, cajole them into naps and then once they're up, head over to Grammy & Grandpa's house. We originally had plans for both tonight and tomorrow so Grammy & Grandpa offered to take them for the weekend. Our Friday night plan fell through but now we're planning to engage in an activity we haven't done since the days of our old, 100 year old plus house: a little home renovation. Our old house was a fixer-upper and it felt like we were constantly spending time painting, repairing, laying new floors and doing other little jobs. We both loved and hated that house. When we moved to our new house, we promised ourselves we would live in it for at least a year before making any changes. It has been a year and a half and all we've really done so far is some painting. We're only planning on doing some more painting this weekend but I'm looking forward to it. I'm also FINALLY going to the salon on Saturday morning. I can't tell you enough how horrible my hair looks. Worst. Hair. Ever. It looks like a badger and a weasel got in a fight on my head. Or like a scraggly bush left to die. I haven't had anything done to it since May. I'm fairly embarrassed to go in on Saturday but I'm hoping the stylist likes a challenge. I don't know yet what I want to do with it but fingers crossed that I'll come out looking sleek and polished!

Letting the LP go for a sleepover or in this case, for the weekend, is hard because we miss them so much. The house is too quiet without them! It is so strange to not hear giggles and little songs being sung, to play games and read stories. We know, however, that it is good for them to spend time with their grandparents and for us to have some time together to reconnect.  And I'm sure that come Sunday, Grammy and Grandpa will sleep very, very well!

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