Parenting Pardise

Two days in a row. What a feat.



There were just too many things I forgot in yesterday's post (it had been 2 months, ya know).



So the other morning, Saturday to be exact, the kiddos and I were at home together and I asked them to play together downstairs so I could brush my teeth. So, 20 mintues later, clothing on (sans kids in the closet watching me change) teeth brush (sans kids sticking their heads between my legs), bladder empties (sans kids asking "are you peeing or pooping mommy") I was ready for the day, and things were blissfully quiet in the basement. So, I had two options:

1. Go downstairs to ensure they were both still alive and risk showing my face an ruining whatever magical thing was taking place in the basement

2. Stay the heck out and clean the kitchen.


Being a prudent parent, I obviously chose option 2. (Seriously, would you go down there???) I did creep down the stairs and hide around the corner to hear them talking to eachother. At which point I high-tailed it upstairs. Now, I'm not going to say that it lasted much more than 5 minutes longer (paradise does have time limits), but for that brief moment I found myself smack dab in the middle of parenting paradise: that magical time and place where two (or more) children play in peace. Now, as any parent knows, children are born with an innate ability to annoy, pick on, harass and otherwise make life miserable for a sibling. It's something that doesn't even need to be learned. Why can't it be, like, potty training? No, it has to be a useless skill like sibling annoyance.

Today we went to the bank. For those who don't know, the bank is a magical child kingdom where there is free candy on the counter and a lady known only as "lady" to my children. Her name is actually Linda, but I digress. We've been known to let others pass us in the bank line so that we can see "lady". Buddy is very set on this point. No other teller will do. They know the routine. On Fridays, we go to the PO Box. If there is money in the box, and only then, will we make a trip to the bank (though we have learned of free candy at the CPA's office, too, what luck!). Today, we walked into the bank, and I kid you not, Little Miss screams "LADY" and starts running to the teller counter. Buddy, being older and wiser, knows that he need not do anything, he just walks up and asks for candy and a sticker. In fact, Lady is so nice to my kiddos, that a) she KNOWS Buddy will only approve of a GIRL sticker for Little Miss and a BOY sticker for him. Once, a teller said Buddy had a cute brother and we nearly had a breakdown. She has no hair, and was wearing pink, and he was MIGHTILY offended for her. Again, I digress. So, Lady brings out today's stickers, something to do w/ the lion king and asks me quietly as the kids are picking out a candy "Do you think these will be okay?" Yes, she was checking that he would approve of her sticker choice. Does the boy not run the world??

My final story of life on the home front is once again about the kiddos in harmony. They think it's hillarious to say "brother" or "sister". So, as I brought LIttle Miss down for her nap, they yelled through the hous to eachother over and over "GOOD NIGHT SISTER" "GOOD NIGHT BROTHER" giggle and repeat. Now, that's enough to make the mom smile, just a little. See, they really do love eachother. That and Little MIss looked at me "I love you very much". Kind of makes it all worth it, I guess.