At home with the boys…

Now that the kids are back in school, it’s just me and the boys again.  Boy, do I love these little rascals.  They are so much fun.  A few things I want to remember about a typical day home with the boys…

Usually the boys are up before the big kids are off to school, although sometimes Luke wakes up first.  If he’s up before 6:45, he likes to eat breakfast with the big kids.  The two boys love to give hugs and stand at the entry way shouting goodbye as the chaos of two middle schoolers rush off for the bus at 7:19 and two elementary schoolers follow two minutes behind.  These days the opened door brings in gusts of cold wind and the boys and I are grateful we’re all still in our pajamas and not going anywhere.

Sometimes at 7:30 Grandma and Grandpa Walton skype before they go to bed.  The boys climb all over my lap, saying ‘Hi Bampa, Mamah!’ and making funny faces because they can see themselves on the screen. 

Matthew pulls me away to ‘EAT’! and Luke happily agrees to ‘second breakfast’ if he’s already had some.  Eggo waffles are a favorite, or cold cereal.  That, along with a ‘link’ (drink) and then they disappear downstairs to play Geotrax.  Sometimes I don’t see them for an hour.

Whenever the Geotrax fun wears off then Luke comes up to ask about playing Wii.    If I say YES without thinking, which definitely happens if I’m not really listening, then Luke corrects me and says, “You mean ‘yes I can, if I get dressed and clean my room’.”   Oh ya… that’s what I meant…

But first we run to the bathroom and the boys jump in the bathtub and ask for cars to play with. Sometimes they stay in there till they’re all pruney.  They like to be wrapped up and carried to their room.  Matthew doesn’t mind so much that I carry him like a baby and doesn’t say “I NOT a BABY!” near as much.   They want to stay huddled in their towels for awhile, as I pull out their clothes.   Luke has definite opinions about which underwear he should wear that day… Batman, Spiderman, Football, Soccer, or Diego.  Batman is the new favorite because he just got them for Christmas.  We put jeans and white undershirts and shirts on – but first I pretend their shirt is my hat that keeps falling off.  I love that Matthew laughs so hard he can hardly stand up straight.  No socks if we’re just staying home.  Our marble stairs are just too dangerous. 

If Matthew happens to see his backpack while we’re in his room, then he wants it on immediately.  Matt has a CARS one and Luke has a Buzz and Woody one.   Both are always filled with toys.  They just love having them on.  Every time I help Matthew put it on he turns around and says “I all ready to go!”

Luke feels motivated to clean his room, especially if I’m in there to help.  Matthew just wants to play with whatever’s already out and it frustrates Luke.  Inevitably I have to say, “just clean up everything but that.”  Sometimes they both get stuck playing and the room doesn’t get clean.  That’s ok too.  I tip toe out to get some more done.

Awhile later they come in to find me.   Sometimes I’m at the computer in my room.  They squish in as close as they can, bumping my arm or completely grabbing hold to try to ‘pull me off’.   That’s my cue.  “I know what time it is!  It’s TICKLE TIME!!”  As soon as I say it they start running and smiling… but they don’t run far, just far enough to turn around and watch in suspense as I slowly come towards them.  Matthew is sure that hiding his head into the bed will make it easier.  They love to be tickled.  Sometimes TICKLE TIME is downstairs in the living room but usually it’s on my bed.   It’s probably one of the best parts of the day.

Sometimes we bring bins of toys into Mom’s room.  They love to bring their toys somewhere new.  Lately, the cowboy playmobil, and Cars Lego – {where we build houses for all the cars} are a favorite.  Matt always likes the car mat and cars.  He also likes to put the cars into the Fisher Price farm and house.  The IKEA train set is still a hit as well.

Around 11:00 it’s snack time.  Applesauce, string cheese, vanilla wafers, or  fishy crackers and another ‘link’ (properly shaken by Mom even if it’s juice and not chocolate milk). 

The boys head downstairs for a game of Toy Story 3 or Super Smash Brothers on the Wii.  Matthew is picking up who is who and constantly tells us that he is Pikachu and informs us who we are.  Sometimes we understand him.  “Daddy, you Bowser.  Mommy, you green yoshi’.  Sometimes we have no idea what he’s saying, but he knows.  He loves being Diego too and if we call him Matthew during a time when he is Diego he corrects us… ‘No, I Diego!”  Luke is happy to follow suite and be ‘baby Jaguar’.

Lunchtime is almost always a corn dog.  It’s just one of the only things Matthew will really eat.   A sandwich will be left completely untouched.   What a rascal.

Matthew always goes down for a nap really well.  When I pick him up at that time of the afternoon (1:30 or 2:00) he knows what’s coming.  “Time for a nap, Matt.”  He whines a bit but then I ask, “Do you want to sleep in your crib or Luke’s bed?”  He perks up and answers “LUKE’S BED!!” with all kinds of enthusiasm.   He’s been enjoying nap time in Luke’s bed for a few months now – {we must be close to taking the crib down.}  He lies right down with a drink and blankets {and German blinds that shut tight and dark} and says “nigh-night, Mommy.  I lovfe you” – like a perfect angel.

Without Matt, Luke can’t think of a thing to do. Anything he starts gets boring fast.   Playing on starfall.com is always aloud, but sometimes he wants to just hang out right by me, in which case I pull out a piece of paper and he practices writing his name, or Matthew’s name, or everyone’s name, showing me letter by letter.  We did math problems for the first time last week and he thought that was pretty great.  

The door knocking at 3:04 is a wonderful sound for Lukey boy.  That means Emily and Megan are home.  He LOVES to be the one to open the door for them and give them a hug.  Then we’re all on to daily jobs, homework, piano practicing, cleaning room, making dinner and bedtime.  Busy stuff.  

I am loving having the kids back in school again, because staying home with the boys is pretty awesome.