If you're still here and haven't clicked over to listen to a podcast not about the weather, thank you.
It was the best. My brother Daniel is in town and Simon is off (so many inappropriate lenten alleluias) for the weekend so we walked the kids to the playground last night.
He just Energizer-sprints.
I wouldn't care if he contained his crazy to the surrounding dead vegetation but he goes straight for the gold.
Meanwhile back at the ranch ... I'm dealing with the most selfless toddler that refuses to get off the swing made for giants despite multiple parents loudly hinting in my direction, "I'm sure that nice mommy will get her nice little girl off the swing soon so that you can have a turn."
What I'm saying is that all I took away from the field trip was a very strong resolve to never subject my martyr of a self to a solo trip with the triplets to the park. Ever.
And on a less selfish note, Simon and Dan took the kids on some errands until nap time and since Theo is sleeping his little heart out if you happen to drive by and see me looking a little something like this ...
you'll know why.
Fifty cheers for a house so quiet I can hear the watch upstairs in the drawer under 89 shirts tick tick ticking away and 100 cheers for a husband and brother ("Uncle Diego") that made it possible.
I love your description of J and S's park behavior. I guess this is the silver lining for having a child with special needs? Maggie was always scared to try anything new at the park. Mainly, she's a swing-hogger like Julia. Leo's going to be a different story, I'm afraid.
ReplyDeletelove this- you deserve it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteSeriously, love! I was just thinking about how incredible Saturdays are - one adult per baby makes such a huge difference. And even more special for you, a whole weekend with the whole fam!
ReplyDeleteAnd I don't think I'm ever taking the kids to the playground alone EVER. Maybe in like, 2 years, when the twins are old enough not to need spotting. But seriously, one adult per child is barely enough! I suggest finding fenced preschool playgrounds, you can bring your own carribeaner (how do you even spell that word? Not like that...) and lock the gate so Sebastian can't get away.
When mine were little, I only frequented completely fenced playgrounds, where they couldn't escape. I would station myself near the gate in case some well-meaning stranger let them out. That's the only way to survive. And I totally LOVE that movie. Enjoy your quiet time!
ReplyDeleteI think you are definitely wise not to take the three to the park alone. That Sebastian is all over the place! I'm sure he'll calm down in about 20 years or so. :)
ReplyDeleteI don't know who is designing this great nation's playgrounds, but somebody should tell them about a beautiful thing called a fence!
ReplyDeleteOh hey Dan! He looks the same.
ReplyDeleteAnd Dan ~ Diego? Totally get the correlation.
Your kid didn't get hit by a car. You got some much-needed and deserved time to yourself. You earned some Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Definitely more than a mediocre start to your weekend.
ReplyDeleteI love it when parents so slyly talk to me by pretending to talk to their children, nice and loud-like. I don't listen to them either.
ReplyDeleteWhat is with that swing? I mean it's too big for a toddler but yet has a safety harness that bigger kids wouldn't need....but j does look so cute in it :-)
ReplyDeleteYou all know that those big swings are for disabled children/adults, right? :)
Deletegah that reminds me of jasper from about age 10 months to about 3.5. He was a runner. I came so damn close to buying a leash for the kid.
ReplyDeleteI thought of you today while I was having an internal debate over whether it is appropriate to take a 16 month old to the liquor store at 4pm for a bottle of Bacardi. And I'm not even a drinker! So, so, so tiredly, I gave up, laid down on the couch, hid under the softest blanket in the world to try to close my eyes for 7 seconds until Ryder literally pulled the covers off and smacked me in the face until I got up and watched him show me how well he opens the fridge. again. at least 9 times today I wondered how you do it.
ReplyDeleteand yay for a weekend off, nice weather (it SNOWED in NJ today!), a quiet house and hand-me-down clothes for bash.. pretty sure those pics have been my favorite part of your blogs this week.
your brother looks so cute and sweet in the background, all smiling, and simon's all, "what the hell do you want?/smolder." most of his pictures are like that, actually.
ReplyDeleteDeMun park in Clayton is pretty small/safe and fenced. I love it! Also, I just saw a triple jogging stroller on St. Louis craigslist and thought of you.
ReplyDeletethanks for the tip! If it's the same one you saw we are going to look at it tomorrow -- it looks awesome and so much nicer than the one I was going to order online (and cheaper) I realllllly appreciate it!
DeleteGive me some of your degrees! I must have them!
ReplyDeleteI am so, so jealous of 70 degrees right now. Everything was white when we woke up this morning. They'd told us it was coming on the news but I was in total denial until we actually woke up and saw the snow.
ReplyDeleteAhhh, Sebastian is just like Tagg was, but no one would believe me that he was THAT bad. But you believe me, right? So. frustrating. J looks so cute in that crazy giant swing
ReplyDeleteI HATED taking Jonathan to the park when he was little. He would throw an absolute fit if he had to get off the swing before he was ready. That is why we eventually bought a swing set for the back yard. BEST move ever. No fits, and no rude parents lecturing me o sharing let alone staring at my daughter in her wheel chair while having a seizure. Oh yeah...that was too much fun.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your brothers visit and the wonderful weather.
Ahhh, Sebastian is just like Tagg was, but no one would believe me that he was THAT bad. But you believe me, right? So. frustrating. J looks so cute in that crazy giant swing
ReplyDeleteAhhh, Sebastian is just like Tagg was, but no one would believe me that he was THAT bad. But you believe me, right? So. frustrating. J looks so cute in that crazy giant swing
ReplyDeleteAhhh, Sebastian is just like Tagg was, but no one would believe me that he was THAT bad. But you believe me, right? So. frustrating. J looks so cute in that crazy giant swing
ReplyDeleteI think I looked at that picture of Simon and Daniel about 30 times before I realized Simon was baby wearing and not entertaining Daniel with an accordion.
ReplyDeleteAt first glance, I thought it was an accordion too! :)
ReplyDeleteUm yeah, third on the accordion...he looked so natural with it. Glad you got some alone time!
ReplyDeleteYou should a book Grace...your witty style is so fun and engaging!
ReplyDeleteI read this on my phone and I thought that Simon wore an accordion to the park. I LOVE the accordion, and thought that was the coolest...but Theo isn't too shabby either.
ReplyDeleteSo glad that you got some Grace time! Btw, we have one of those leashes that extends if you want to borrow it for Basher ;o)
ReplyDelete