Thursday

After school, they wanted to go to the field.

 

I should have just taken them to the swimming pool.  I'm certain that when Mei Li was a baby, I would not have let her sit in a puddle like I let Mi Na, or bathe in it like I let Stephen.  Consequently, Mei Li commented on how dirty Stephen was and wanted no part of this.

He's all smiles in this picture, but this transition from napping to no-napping has turned him into an early evening monster.  I'm not really sure what to do besides reintroduce the nap.  Thoughts?

Wednesday

I didn't drive to the school today after Mei Li got on the bus.  My car is broken.  

Mi Na went down for a nap right after we took Mei Li to the bus stop.  Stephen had a short quiet time and then I asked him to help me make pizza dough.  I'm really loving this recipe, by the way.  I resisted almost every urge to correct his helpfulness.  He loved watching the "tornado" in the mixer.

He wanted to watch TV after making the dough, but since he lost TV privileges for a week, we made a birthday card for someone special instead.  He sat on my lap and I helped him write the letters.  I love that boy, and I'm glad that Mei Li being at kindergarten has given us more one on one time together.

Mei Li had a frown getting off the bus.  She came straight to me and had me hold her.  Somehow, in the one mile between the school and home, she got sad.  Her brand new friend who is in her class and on her bus, decided to go to the back of the bus (against the rules for kindergarteners) with her older friends instead of sit next to Mei Li.  I consoled her, and she seemed to feel better.  Her smile returned as soon as she saw her neighbor friends playing outside.   I love her resiliency.

We were all ready to go to the swimming pool when I heard Mi Na say, "Da-ee."  Steve had come home early.  He got his suit on and we were about to leave when the ice cream truck rang its bell all the way down our street.  It wouldn't be summer without an ice cream truck treat, so we indulged Mei Li with an ice cream sandwich and Stephen with a cyclone popsicle.  Mei Li said, "Wow! Dad's home early, the ice cream truck came, and now we're going swimming!  This is turning out to be a great night after all!"

 

Mi Na and I stayed at the pool for half an hour and then we rushed home to make the pizza so it would be ready when the others got home.  Mei Li said I got the dough just right this time.

Tonight after the little ones were in bed, we did her homework and read a couple of books.  Then she asked if we could read from The Friend magazine.  We read several stories and after we were done, I told her that no matter what happens at school, she will come home to a house full of people who love her.  She said, "I know."  I'm glad she knows.

Tuesday

Tuesday was the day Mi Na discovered she was a princess.  Each time her crown fell off, she would whimper, give me the crown, and lower her head so I could crown her once more.  (She also likes wearing beaded necklaces and carrying around baby dolls.)

Tuesday was the day I didn't cry as I watched Mei Li get off the bus and walk into the school with her class. Although, Stephen did ask me, "are you going to cry?"  I thought that was funny.

Tuesday was the day that my car wouldn't start in the Target parking lot, and a nice employee named Jeremy jumped my car for me.  I was so grateful.

Tuesday was the day Stephen said he wanted to watch "Math Adventure to the Moon" with me for Stephen and Mama time.  He sat on my lap and I fell asleep with my head in my hand.

Tuesday was the day that Stephen cut a little bit of Mi Na's bangs.  I was a bit upset, but I suppose she needed a trim anyway.

Tuesday was the day I went to Stephen's preschool parent orientation.   I felt young.

Tuesday was the day I ate handful after handful of chocolate chips.  I do this about once a month.

Tuesday was the day that Steve and I pillow talked until midnight about parenting and new goals.  After a day like today, reevaluation was sorely needed.

Tuesday was not a great day.  I have I high hopes for Wednesday.

OBX: 6/01

Wednesday was eventful.  Stephen and Steve went outside in the morning so Stephen could ride his bike.  Stephen took a spill doing a fast turn and scraped his elbow.  He was really mad about it.

 We spent much of the morning by the pool.

After I put Mi Na down for her nap and Steve put Stephen down for his nap, I watched Mei Li swim in the pool while Steve went out to the beach.  The other adults were so far out and only waist deep.  So Steve joined the others and when Dorothy came to watch the kids in the pool I went out to join Steve.

To make a long story short, I just about drowned in the Atlantic Ocean.  Scott and Sarah had just made it back and Scott warned me about how hard it was swimming beyond the sandbar.  I took note, but thought I could do it anyway.  And just like Scott said, it got really hard.  For a little while, even with Steve right beside me, helping me, I thought I was going to drown.  We weren't making progress and the shore seemed so far away.  I actually fantasized about natural child birth, thinking anything seemed better than what I was feeling right then.

Steve convinced me in spite of the embarrassment I was sure to feel, it was better to go back to shore than drown in pursuit of those shallow waters.  So I floated on my back, letting the waves carry me to shore.  And then all I wanted to do was cry and fall asleep on the sand, but Steve made me drink some water and get up.  Whatever.  I hated that half hour of my life.


Thankfully, there were happier hours later in the day.

Stephen loved making the wings of his dragon flap up and down.

 A yellow and white polka dotted baby bum.  Doesn't it just make you love the whole world?

 Mei Li's favorite spot to fly her butterfly was in the ocean.

 It was a happy time for our little family.

Later that evening, Dorothy volunteered to comb Mei Li's hair.  I don't know why, but that simple act of service warmed my heart so much.

It was a good day, you know, for the most part.

Oh Wednesday, what happened?

I had an off day. It's too bad because today was supposed to be awesome. There were a few awesome things about today.

It got up to 63 degrees! The windows were open and the sun was shining.


I had smooth, second-day hair. I'd hate to think of what kind of day it would have been without it! I'm kidding.

The kids did a lot of playing (and one did some peeing) outside.

Stephen's friend came over to play.

We saw that our cucumber, tomato, and sweet pepper seeds had sprouted. We're still waiting on the green beans. I love having our sunny kitchen windows for this purpose.

And now for the not so awesome. We were all kind of grumpy and tired for most of the day. My mind was everywhere that didn't matter (like my second-day hair?).

Stephen wouldn't fall asleep for his nap, and Mi Na for some reason didn't take her second nap.

Stephen reported, with a smile on his face, that he peed in four different places while he was in the bathroom (why oh why?!). Thankfully one of those places was in the toilet. I'm still not sure where the fourth place is.

Stephen also tore up some pages from our beloved "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" book.

Mei Li whined a lot about this and that. The kids were not kind to each other. By 3 PM, I was done.

So I turned on The Sound of Music and the four of us sat on the couch and watched some of it. Mei Li and Stephen had so many questions about nuns. Oh, and when Rolf and Leisl kissed, I said "oh no!" I looked at Mei Li. She had a very wide grin, but then she remembered what I taught her, "they're not supposed to kiss!" Let's hope she remembers this rule until she's twenty-one.

Steve called in the middle of the movie and said that he was coming home. Somehow, he had checked of all items on his to-do list for the day and was able to leave the office around 5:30. He didn't get to work early this morning, and as of yesterday, he was completely swamped. It was a miracle.

We ate dinner together and put the kids to bed together. My favorite moment of the day was when all five of us sat together on Stephen's bed to read. As I read Mi Na's book "Wynken, Blynken, and Nod," there was a very tangible feeling of love between us all and it kind of made up for all the love we missed out on today.

When the old moon asked, "Where are you going, and what do you wish?" I wished for love, patience, and peace to abide in our home tomorrow.

P.S. We did our arm and ab workouts tonight. Owie.