What Made You Happy Today?

We started asking this question at the dinner table after hearing about it in a parenting class. We start with what made you happy, then mad, then sad.  We try to do this most evenings, but since Finn was born dinner time has become even more chaotic.

The other night I had gone up to check on my 2 older boys, to see if they were finally asleep. One was, but Jack was laying there awake. I laid down in bed to snuggle him and realized we had not asked our question at dinner. I asked him what made him happy today.  "Seeing D/L" was his immediate response. "D/L" are his 14 and 12 year old cousins, respectively. We only saw "L" today but their names seem to always be said as one.  I should have known this would be his response. We were lucky enough to have "L" stay with us on a sleep over. We went to a bike race, ate my favorite ice-cream, went to lunch, and even got to spend time at the beach. It had been a busy 24 hours, but his favorite part was just seeing "L".

I knew how much both my boys love their cousins but I was reminded of it again today. We had to take "L" up to meet her mom as our sleep over was at an end. I told the boys we were taking "L" home and we loaded up the car. Both of them fell asleep and slept all the way through the drop off and did not wake up until we were safely home. I had had some bad traffic and it had been a long day, so I did not think anything of it. I woke up Micah and carried him inside and sat him on the couch, where he immediately began screaming. I went back for Jack but he refused to get out of the car. I brought in Finn, went back and unloaded all of our beach gear and finally forced Jack out of the car. I put him on the couch and went back to get Micah, who at this time was SCREAMING, not crying or sobbing mind you, and clawing at the back gate. I carried him back inside and found Jack standing in the middle of the room.

He looked at me and his lower lip stared to quiver. "Where is "L"?" he asked. Oh no, was my first thought as I stared in horror at the big tears rolling down his face. I just assumed the boys were as tired and cranky as I was. I totally forgot they did not see "L" get out of the car and only woke up once we were home. They both thought she was still here. I scooped him up and held him close as I told him "L" was at her house. Then he just started crying. I can handle screaming, yelling, temper-tantrums, but the truly sorrowful crying just breaks my heart.  

I went back to Micah and asked him if he was looking for "L". He was. We had to go back to the car, look inside, before he finally stopped screaming. By this time he was bright red and starting to hyperventilate from all the screaming. I felt so bad.

I got them both settled on the couch, and even though it was not our schedule, I asked them if they wanted to watch a show. Oh, that would make them so happy.  I had one moment of peace before I turned on the TV only to find it broken. Oh, the tears started again.

We ended up being okay, and I was glad to know that seeing "L" made him happy, especially after the disastrous homecoming we had. 

Although, when I asked him what made him sad he did say "falling off the sled".  Hmm... not exactly sure where that came from.

Feet

I hate feet. I think this is partly because mine are both very dry and very ticklish. A very challenging thing, when  even putting lotion on your feet makes you laugh.  I do not like to have my own feet touch, much less touch someone else's feet.

This is proving to be a challenge for me because my oldest son loves to touch me with his feet. During quiet time he sits on one end of the couch. I am passed out on the other - hoping to catch a few minutes of sleep.  My son loves when we "snuggle" on the couch. This usually means, he stretches out his legs and puts his feet on me. I might be able to handle it, if the feet were still. But, nope, they are in constant motion. They are on my legs, they are on my back, they are slightly kicking me, now they are rubbing me. I keep making myself smaller, and smaller, hoping he can no longer reach me, but apparently he has really long legs. I tell myself, I can do it, I can have him put his feet on me, but pretty soon I am off the couch and moving far away.

We continue to have the feet problem even at dinner. I sit next to my older son at dinner. Everything starts out good. We are sitting, eating, talking. Then pretty soon, I feel a tap against my leg. Then a rubbing motion, then finally just a constant touch. His foot has found my leg again. I have tried to explain that we don't touch feet at dinner, but his only response is "why not".  

The feet, that at one time were this tiny, are now big, dirty, smelly, and being rubbed all over my body.