Some good things that happened

Kevin is on vacation! I'm being a very nice wife and letting this be a vacation, not an extended "To Do" time. We are having fun. The weather is teasing us dreadfully, but we've managed to get outside. Yesterday we played at Southcenter Mall, ate lots of treats, and enjoyed dinner at Farelli's Pizza. After bedtime, we had dessert.

This morning I met with a new church friend at The Children's Museum. Our boys were not cooperative with our desire to chat. They are both oldest kids, and they wanted to play in different areas the entire time. Plus, they wanted us to watch them the entire time. I'm finding this is classic oldest children behavior. Until another kid comes along, they have simply had all our attention and don't want to give it up. But we snuck in a few conversations. This is a friendship I'm really wanting to encourage. Our boys are very similar, and it's nice to have somebody around who "gets" my type of boy. Next time I'm inviting her over to the house. And I'll bake something, so she really likes me. Friend dating is way more stressful than romantic dating.

This afternoon was saved last minute by a surprise zoo visit. A surprise because we didn't think it was open. We got cupcakes (Patrick cried in the car while I picked them up). We drove on Five Mile Drive (both kids cried for a variety of reasons). Patrick wanted my cupcake after he finished his (and cried about it). Then he cried because he wanted to get out of the car. Yeah! The zoo is open! And it's not raining! The puppies waited in the car while we hit the zoo. Fiona stopped crying and slept, praise the Lord. The afternoon was saved.

At home, we tortured Patrick by refusing both TV and computer games. We built towers and played "Mailman." I wrote Kevin a variety of notes as he cooked dinner, and Patrick carried them in his push cart from the living room to the kitchen. Then we played outside while Kevin held Fiona. Patrick got on the swing and swung! This is the first time he's really warmed to the swing and stayed on for more than five seconds.

Fiona had another grumpy-ish day. She's starting to protest just a little bit more when she's wet or hungry. Or bored. Or wanting to be picked up. Or wanting to be put down. The baby swing does a nice job of helping her settle into sleep. We just have to keep Patrick from waking her up with kisses. He loves to kiss his baby. He's very close to saying her name and has made up a little joke for himself. Fi-O-Nana. Then he giggles.

Tomorrow I'm going to work on taxes, pay medical bills, and fuss over our accounts. Should be a blast.