It has been raining for days weeks months out here in the Northwest. It's almost been more than this poor African girl can handle. Unmotivated to do anything but sit around the house looking like a "shlumpadinka", I was beginning to wonder if we would ever see the sun again. And then, gloriously, vitamin D has been pouring down on us like warm, yellow waves of sunshine for the past two days. I. am. in. heaven. Yesterday afternoon, our three wild things were working some of their wiggles out on our patio with sidewalk chalk. Sydney had the bright idea that we should all go to the pool. Perhaps it was the euphoria we were feeling from the endless stream of sun rays on our pasty white faces that compelled our tired mouths to say yes to embarking on such an ambitious Sunday afternoon family outing. Never-the-less, thirty minutes later all five of us were suited up and headed to the pool.
I am relieved to report that our kids represented us well. There were no displays of ugly behavior, leaving me very optimistic that we might actually be able to do this again sometime.
Until we got home.
They saved all the ugly up- held every whine, every fight, every high pitched expression of displeasure for the last few hours of our day. Jackson, who did not get his regular afternoon nap (not even a thirty minute power nap), was about as contentious as a caged beast. He knew what he wanted, but he didn't know what he wanted. He was delirious with fatigue. Rather than lay down and give in to sleep, he amped up and ran through the house like a wild animal. There were so many "Uh oh's" and bedroom times that I started to lose count. The mantra repeatedly playing in my head was, "Just get him through dinner, and then you can put him to bed."
Bedtime finally came (early). We had completed our regular bedtime rituals and I was heading to my room when I heard a little voice behind me. It was Jackson. He was following me saying, "Mommy, I need to tuck you in." I could seriously have eaten him up right there, he was so sweet. I looked up at Joel, whose face was as endeared and touched as mine. Jackson walked me to my room and helped me get my bed turned down. It was precious, until I accidentally knocked him in the head with my lethal elbow. (Yep...I sure know how to kill a moment!) He let out a yelp, but quickly forgave me (I think he was too tired to have a full blown melt down).
Lots of kisses, hugs, "I love you's" and one "bless my heart" from Jackson later, he was successfully in bed.
Whew...day over.
And another one has just begun.