It's 5 weeks into the school holidays. Five l-0-n-g weeks in. L-O-O-O-N-G weeks. That means there is only a week to go. And in a week, I'll be sobbing that it all went so fast and Oh-My-God-But-My-Baby-Is-Too-Little-to-be-Starting-Big-Boy-School!
For now though? Oh my goodness! Please make it stop! The boys are bickering and I'm finding myself just nodding my head to anything they ask, just to avoid the fight {please tell me it's not just me}.
There are moments though. We went to get Samuel some school shoes yesterday. It was late - almost 5 so we didn't have long. I was having an anxious, panicky {not to mention fat} day and I was in pain. Joel was really struggling with anxiety as well {he's starting to a lot more - worried. I'm worried that I may have broken him}. The boys were hyper. I mean HYPER.
You know that point where they make a joke and everyone laughs. But then they don't know when to stop and then they start to say more and more outrageous things? Thinking that those things will be even funnier? No matter how utterly nonsensical and
I was starting to have trouble with just the sound of their voices. They are up by 6 and on the go, constantly talking, whining, pleading or fighting until they fall asleep again, and at the moment that is far too late. Was starting to get a throbbing headache when Joel suggested we stop for a cup of tea.
The boys would have cupcakes and we could have a few minutes of peace. That was the plan. They started off sweetly enough.
But that's about as long as Samuel can stay still for anything a photo. This one might be one of my favourites though. Apologies to the gentleman in the back. I don't even have photoshop, let alone know how to blur him out.
Just a couple of nice, 'normal' photos was my request. Apparently someone took the word "couple" and took it literally. Because those two was all I was getting in the 'normal' stakes.
We were nearly alone in the food court {Classy, no? No trendy cafes unfortunately. We were there for shoes. School stuff. Suburban stuff}. The boys got a kids pack {they were modified, as they don't drink juice or softdrinks, the barista was lovely enough to make them milkshakes instead}. There were colouring pages and pencils included. Which our boys have always, always ignored.
They don't do colouring. Ever. Alexander loves to draw, but he won't colour. He's been like that his entire life. Samuel is the same. Something something Autism yada yada yada. Anyone else's kids?
So I grabbed one, trying to coax Samuel. Said I'd help him colour. He wasn't really buying it but he at least picked up a pencil. He's so indecisive - can't decide where to start, what colours to use. He wants rules. Clear places. Not anything open to interpretation, imagination. But hey, I had fun. I haven't coloured in ages, and I always found it relaxing. Alexander got his out and suddenly things got competitive.
It is entirely possible that this impromptu colouring session got more than a little out-of-hand. There may have been a lot of giggling, that later may have turned into raucous laughing. There may have been some silly shenanigans from the adults in this situation. It's possible that that only served to encourage the smaller people {and thankfully draw smiles and laughing shakes of the head from cleaners and passers-by}. It is also possible that there was some sabotage happening. Pencil stealing. An errant squiggle on someone else's page. I can't confirm who started it, but she's not sorry she did and she'd do it again.
Because you know what happened? Two tired, snappy, agitated parents relaxed for a while and just went with the silliness instead of trying to make it stop. They redirected the energy and engaged. They showed that they love being silly too and having fun. They managed to take 20 minutes or so out of a day and turn it into a memory.
Four people who sat down to have coffee, feeling stressed or sad, left with huge, ridiculous grins on their faces. And two small coffee-stained souvenirs that proves that sometimes - if you can't beat them....you should absolutely join them.
This might be a ridiculous post, or something about nothing. A small vignette in an otherwise eventful day. A way not to talk about the scramble in my head. Or it might be just reminding me to take these moments and use them. Make memories that will stay for not just Joel and I, but for the boys too.
What are you doing today? What silliness have you shared with your children recently?
Also {Because I never remember}. I blog on Tuesdays. Hop on over to Essentially Jess and add yours to the Link up.
