BBQ and Bubbles

Thursday was the kind of day that truly makes me appreciate my decision to become a stay-at-home Mom. Actually, this whole week has been that way to an extent. The first few days of the week, Honor was home sick. She doesn't get sick often, and she wasn't very ill, but she had a fever, was all stuffed up and not sleeping well, and she stayed home Monday and Tuesday. We read books, watched movies together, and painted our nails. I ended up catching a little of what she had, and Tuesday we both had a fever and did a lot of napping too.

Wednesday, Honor was feeling better and went to school. She was up for ballet as well. She was very pleased to have behaved good enough in class to earn a piece of candy from the teacher... before she started class, only Brian could brag about earning sweets in Taekwondo for winning a race, or behaving well, or whatever. Is this an Egyptian thing I wonder? Or will ballet, Taekwondo, and other activity coaches bribe kids with sweets elsewhere too? It seems strange to me, but I do not mind. Both kids have a good attitude towards sweets - they are not taboo, and are usually available when they ask, so they do not go crazy over them when offered the chance. Anyway... Thursday...

...was a regular school day. I stayed home and tried to catch up with the housework that went by the side the first of the week. I also started some BBQ ribs slow-cooking in the oven at noon. Honor was still stuffy, but getting better, and went to school. I picked her up at the regular time and brought her home. Got her dressed up in a new dress that she has refused to wear UNTIL this party, and we walked the few blocks to the club for a school mate's birthday party. This is the first such birthday party she has been able to attend! All of her previous invites have been during the week! I could never take her to a (for example) "Tuesday at 2pm" party! I take that back - she did have one, recent, weekend invite, but she was already obligated to a party of a non-classmate friend's party. It has been hard because Brian's invites have always been for days and times that we could take him - always! Good for him, but hard on Honor. But, this THURSDAY, at 3:30PM, I got to take Honor to a classmate's party!

Ok, it's not she is deprived of entertainment, but it has been hard to always tell her no. Especially when, inevitably, most of the other kids get to talk about the party before and after - except Honor. She had a great time, and I very much enjoyed hanging out with and talking to some of the other parents. We had to leave a little bit early, because we had to walk home and be there before Brian's bus brought him home to an empty apartment, but it was a nice afternoon. Later on, Honor was so tired out that she had a full-scale tantrum, but that was ok - I was there, I knew why, and I was where I was supposed to be. With her when it happened. Not walking in the door at 7pm to hear about it second-hand and wonder if I was getting the whole picture. She was so worn out, that she was tired and cranky today and had another tantrum, but we were able to talk about it and calm down fairly easy.

I know, I have been talking about Honor a lot here - I get details to talk about with Honor as she is with me more because of her age. But, with Brian, I get validation when he walks in the door after getting off the bus. A look, a smile, a hug - I know he is glad to see me, even on days he does not say it... and he is actually saying it a lot. In all - I feel I really made the right choice. I believe Brad can see the change too. This is what I am supposed to be doing.

I guess I should close with this happy image from Thursday:

Yay! Bubbles!