Best Toddlers Ever

Sure, my toddlers whine, and they occasionally pretend they don't understand the concept of sharing, and they can be picky about food and clothes and toys, and they might have a set quota on the number of temper tantrums they must throw in any given week, but all in all, they're really great kids.

With Michael in New Haven taking a class this week, it's been me, a 3-year-old, a 2-year-old, a 2-month-old, and a full-time-job. While it would be reasonable to read that and conjure up all sorts of disaster scenarios, the girls have been so good (so far) that we've barely noticed the lack of another adult in the house.

Ok, that's not true at all, but it definitely hasn't been as bad as it could have been.

Until this morning we have had beautiful weather, so Catherine and Mary spent most of the week thus far playing in the house, sandbox, and mini playground in the back yard. There has also been a lot of playing kitchen on the porch, reading themselves books, writing of songs, and general make-believe. I'm pretty convinced that it has to be harder to have only one kid - I can't imagine any child playing by themselves as long as the girls play together.

Robert and family stopped by to play outside the other evening and after some general running around, lots of watering each other with the hose, and good puddle splashing, Craig wound up pulling all three kids around in the wagon (and around and around and around). I have never seen a kid looking more pleased than Robert looked in that wagon (and although Mary looks a little wild-eyed here, the girls were having a great time as well).



Unfortunately, someone forgot to give baby Michael the note about it being a really great week to be well-behaved. I would love to put up a picture like this and tell you this is what he's been doing


but that picture is actually from last week. For the last two days, he's been more like this (photo courtesy of Catherine - don't I look amused?):


The only exception is when I am changing his diaper. For the first four weeks of his life, Michael was convinced that diaper changes were the worst thing that could happen to a human. Then he changed his mind. Now it doesn't matter what sort of a mood he's in; if I put him down on the changing table, he just starts talking...


and smiling.



Too bad this doesn't work as a permanent solution - you can't just leave him on the changing table and have a happy, hands-free baby for an hour. And when you're done changing his diaper, he usually picks right back up where he left off.

Oh well - he's sleeping now... here's to a better day today!

"i love mommy" (thought of and typed by Catherine - I told you: best toddlers ever)