High Five

It's been a lovely weekend- mildly productive and involving a nice long family walk, and not involving the complete re-working of any of the closets. The kids just woke up from their naps and are playing "babies." I originally assumed this meant playing with Claire's babies, but as it turns out, it involves making a house (currently a space between the couch and ottoman, floored with pillows, then covered in blankets), and Landon being a baby and Claire being his mommy. Mostly they lay there and cuddle and Claire rubs his back and says "shhh, it's otay baby." They do it by the hour while JP and I do other things (or nothing- yesterday we laid down in our bed for an hour, delightful). I love it.

Speaking of games- I just ordered my play room rug! I got an email from Land of Nod for free shipping and I had a 10% off coupon from a Stride Right rewards package, so I took the plunge. The 8 x 10 rug had big shipping fees and now they're $0! It should arrive in 2 weeks and I'm so excited. I added the rug to my cart early this morning and just finally had the courage to press "checkout." JP's swim school has really taken off- he was hoping to have 30 kids signed up by the end of May and he already has 60, which means I'm extremely proud and excited for him, and I get to launch my room reorganizing project of 2013. Let the playroom/dining room relocating begin!

Yesterday JP decided we should stop by Great Clips to get his hair buzzed and Claire's hair trimmed (because he's heard me mention her overly long bangs many times, not because he actually had any idea her hair needed to be trimmed). Claire must have heard me too because as we were driving over, we heard her explain to Landon with a sigh that, "Yandon, I'm going to get my hair tut. I need to get my bangs trimmed." I can't imagine she even knows what "getting my bangs trimmed" means, but it was adorable to hear her state it so matter of factly.

pre-trim

When we arrived it was too crowded so we decided to do our grocery shopping first (the benefit of getting your hair done in a grocery store strip mall). Claire's face fell as we turned around and she cried out, "But I was getting my hair tut!" much to the amusement of the waiting clientele. Luckily when we came back 40 minutes later, there was only 1 person ahead of us and we proceeded with the $10 salon special.

I hadn't observed a hair tut since Claire's first one a year or so ago, but even though I was there (she tends to be more emotionally vulnerable if I'm around, which is why JP takes her to pretty much all appointments and other potentially bothersome events), she hopped right in the chair and proceeded to get her bangs trimmed with all due calm and seriousness.

Landon observed.

 

Claire's true moment of bravery was her calm endurance of the hair dryer at the end. She hates the hair dryer and every time she sees mine on the counter, so approaches the bathroom warily and asks, "are you done with this mama?" If I say no, she runs off for 5 minutes before coming back to ask again. But after a little convincing, she allowed it.

 

The hair tut inspired another game for Saturday evening, this one involving me lying on the couch while Claire brushes my hair and tries to put clips in it. Again, I'm a fan.

Today has been a day of yard work and cooking. New sod has been planted (or whatever it is you do with sod), children have helped (sort of), and I have made meals for the next 3 days. The weather is beautiful and we've spent hours outside and with the doors and windows open.

 

I think my favorite moment of the weekend, besides Claire's bang-trimming discussion with Landon, happened today at the park at the end of our walk. Landon successfully swung across the hanging triangle monkey bars for the first time ever (yay!) and a few minutes later he observed a duo of older boys (probably 10 and 12) trying to go across them. They couldn't get the whole way across, so Landon, who never ever leaves the park without 5 new best friends (seriously, we are treated to full discourse on their names, schools, age, likes and dislikes on the walk home, and he remembers every single one if we see them again), ran over with "I can do it! Can I show you?" Now these were older boys who were almost certainly too cool for a 5-year-old, so I watched from a distance to see if they'd blow him off. But no, they motioned for him to go ahead, watched appreciatively, and after he completed the long line of them, the older boy gave him a high five and a "nice dude" before they walked off to do something else.

A little moment, but it gave me the biggest smile from across the playground.