Friday, at Last!

Ahhhh... it is Friday, yay! It's been a stressful week at work, and somewhat at home. The kids have been delightful, though poor Milo is still having coughing fits in the middle of the night and Violet has resumes a once-a-night feeding habit. But at least I can feed her and lay her back down and even if she's awake, she's not fussing about it -- that is a huge step forward!

Scott returned home from New York City yesterday afternoon and I am so glad to have him back! Of course, he met me at the door (actually at the CAR door) with a hug and a kiss and a, "Don't freak out, but the dogs got into the garbage." Our crazy mutts have a habit of wreaking havoc when Scott's not around -- even though I am usually the primary food and water giver and snuggle-meister, they like having the man around.

I'm about to pick up the kids from daycare and it is likely that when I walk in the door, they will both smile at me and run the other direction. I'm not nearly as entertaining as the other children, after all. This has been common for Milo, but Violet has started doing it, too. She has a particular mischievous look that she gets as she's about to do something (mildly) defiant -- she purses her little lips into a tight smile, as if she's trying to contain a giggle. Her little eyes turn up in commas as her eyelashes lower like a screen to block her intentions. Of course, like any 14 month old, her sense of reasoning isn't terribly advanced and it's pretty apparent to anyone over 12 that she's about to take off like a pinball, binging and bonging into any obstacle between herself and her destination. Still, she makes a decent go of it and, more often than not lately, I have to ditch my shoes and pursue her into the house.

Milo isn't nearly as subtle. He sees me, smiles, sometimes even runs over for a hug, then begins arguing, "Mom! I don't want to go home. I want to stay and play!" or "I didn't have a snack yet!" or "I didn't have water yet!" or whatever. "I've got a GREAT IDEA! How 'bout I stay and play and you come back and get me later?"

You see, any time Milo has a "GREAT IDEA" you pretty much know you're standing in the quicksand of three-year-old logic. As in a GREAT IDEA might be for him to do exactly as he wants, me to not stop him, and then get a hug on top of it. Right? Milo's GREAT IDEAS are always followed by a cheesy used-car salesman smirk and a quick head nod -- as if that alone was a contract. They usually end with, "Okay?" or "Right, Mom?" and sometimes, the most audacious ideas end with, "Don't you think that's a GREAT IDEA, Mom?" Not really, little buddy...

If I put together the sum of Milo's behavior in an attempt to predict his future, he has outgrown my earlier prediction of mountain-climbing veterinarian and will likely become a charismatic leader of a pack of prowling teens, bent on living life according to the principles of Star Wars, playing with action figures long after they're too old to really enjoy them, and diving into bags full of Halloween candy (That looks cool, mom!). He will pepper his dialogue with "cool," "cwazy," "actually" and "of course." And whomever he lives with will have to dress him and remind him that "the tag goes in the back!" Because such things are so far below his RADAR they might as well not exist. Wait a minute... this is sounding very familiar... Ah, yes, I think I just might be describing Scott here... Except for the Halloween candy -- Milo attempted to give back a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup and Scott might have died a little after that.

Anyway, happy Friday! and Happy Weekend!