2 Dates

Today I went on dates with 2 of my boys.  The first was with J!  It started with watching his Winter dance performance at the Fine Arts Preschool.  He was a leaf, and then a wave.  He sang all sorts of songs (after declaring at the beginning of the year that he was NEVER going to sing all year).  Last year he was never in a single show - now he spins, laughs, dances - and told me in anticipation, "Mom you are just going to love it, the waves look so beautiful with the scarves."  I am so proud of him for deciding he could do this hard thing this year, and then learning that it was very fun!

Next we had snack together with his friends.  He picked the next few items. "You are under my command!" He declared and laughed.  He loved that we did each thing HE chose:  first the donut store, then Subway for lunch, stopping by the grocery store (to get ingredients for chicken soup for sick Alex) and he picked toy handcuffs as a prize off the toy aisle for $2.  "This is the best day of my life!" he told me in the car.  I loved it too. 

Date number 2: with this cute dad.  Love him!  We met at a little pizza and salad place on 2nd.  We were both tired (as always by Friday night).  He is in the middle of his last round of finals.  But no matter how tired we are, ending the week with a little time to ourselves, makes all the difference.  We drove up to Blockbuster, rented a mediocre movie, bought a lot of candy and came home to put the rest of the bambinos to bed.  

Alone time with family members is a gift, when we get so busy with all our daily routines.  I need to remember to carve out time with each child - the conversations are different, they like different places, they need the attention and I need the concentrated time to just say check in with them and say: I love you!