I've been home with the kids since Thursday and I'm loving it. Am I loving it because I know there is an end in sight? Perhaps.
In any case, the first day of September it's like someone flipped a switch and it became fall. It's still warm, but the mornings and evenings are crisp, and there's a certain slant to the light.
The days dawn early (an uncharacteristically early 5:30 a.m. for Ellie on Thursday, it's like she KNEW I had the day off and wanted to make the most of the day). Mornings have been filled with Leo's favorite pasttime-runs to the store (stocking up on back-to-school lunches and supplies), Friday was Costco, Monday will be Target and Trader Joe's (can you stand the excitement?). After lunch signals the start of Ellie's long midday nap (which kind of "kills" the whole day, but, whatevs.) It's hard to keep Leo quiet while Ellie sleeps. I hate to let him watch too much TV but then again it is his "vacation" and I guess a little extra Diego never hurt anyone. He's also discovered new games. A new favorite is hanging out downstairs in the playroom with the lights off, with the flashlight. Ah, little boys.
Afternoons have been backyard playing and walks around the neighborhood. The BOB stroller holds both of them. It breaks my heart a little when Ellie asks to walk. I wish I could take my five and two-year old on an actual walk (that is, not in the stroller) around the 'hood but the truth is, Leo is too much of a flight risk. Ellie would be fine walking but if Ellie walks then Leo wants to walk and I can't handle both of them "free." If it was just him, fine. But Leo and Ellie and the dog? Not happening without a stroller. I know we'll get there, we'll get to the point where we don't need the stroller. I hope it's soon.
Oh and not to bury the lead but did I mention Ellie potty trained herself this weekend? No joke. It started completely by accident. I'm not pushing it, but she was walking around pantsless on Thursday and announced she had to potty (we keep a small potty in the living room-we're classy like that). She proceeded to potty about every fifteen minutes and stayed dry in between. I am stunned. I'm also terrified to leave the house for fear I'll have to take them both to the bathroom...
Well, it's not so bad--I did it this morning on an outing to Barnes & Noble. The key was having the single stroller (double was too big to fit through the bathroom door). I kept Leo in that while I took Ellie to do the deed. She starts the new daycare Tuesday, I guess the only thing to do is send her in panties and hope for the best. It still feels a little surreal (she's barely two). I also keep thinking about how "they" say don't try to potty train in the midst of big changes (like, um, say, a new daycare) but seriously, it was her idea! You just can't keep a good little girl down I guess.
Ellie's language continues to explode. She saw the almost full moon a few nights ago and now ask constantly "where the moon Mommy?" Nearly every question is answered with "yessss," with a definite emphasis on the "s." Oh and after every potty, comes the announcement "I go potty Mommy!" followed by the request for "chocolate raisin!"
Leo has also added a few new words to his vocabulary. How could I say no when this morning he told me he wanted to go to the "bookstore." Another new one: "help me." That one sure comes in handy. I have to be careful to not give into it too often-he can do so much more than he lets on.
I'm sad to see my Housewife of New Jersey stint coming to an end. Tuesday the kids will start the new daycare and I'll head back to work. Wednesday morning the little short bus will come to the house to get Leo, to take him to his first day of kindergarten. I expect some tears.
I'm betting Leo will cry too.
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