A Good Day

Today was a good day. We're in one of those intense stages -- intensely joyful and intensely stressful. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong it's just the typical chaos that comes with a houseful of adorable, noisy, affectionate, emotional kids plus a newborn. It's the insanity of simultaneously helping 3 kids with homework, holding a sometimes fussy baby or even feeding baby, making dinner, and entertaining 3 year old. You know just that stuff that on any given day makes me feel like either Wonder Woman or a cranky old lady who just really needs a shower. Anyway, I don't take good days for granted.

It was a really cold morning so while Ben watched a show and Joshy slept I took a nice hot bath. Already off to a great start. Then as we drove to our weekly grocery shopping adventure Ben was very seriously discussing things with me in the cutest way ever. He was saying things that an adult would say, but he said them with his lisp and sweet little voice. When I told him my Grandma was sick he quickly asked, "Is she going to be okay?" For some reason that made me smile the rest of our drive.

At the store I let Ben choose a toy that he can have as soon as he's potty trained. He had a really hard time choosing, but finally did and I was really glad it wasn't the toy hunting rifle. We came home and Ben took a nap while I watched almost a whole movie while I fed Joshua. He's a slow eater, but sometimes it's nice. I didn't have to drive carpool. The kids came home happy and noisy. Anna got most of her homework done at school and went to piano this afternoon having practiced this week! Abby had her friend Paige over and they let Ben and Nate play hide and seek with them downstairs. Happily occupied children is truly a piece of heaven.

When Ben woke up I put his new toy up in the closet right where he can see it when he sits on his little toilet in the bathroom. We put his underwear on and he went potty several times sometimes in the toilet and sometimes not, but no big messes. You'd have thought he re-discovered the theory of relativity by his siblings' reactions to his successes. So cute. Ben was so proud of himself, couldn't wait to go tell the neighbors that he went potty in his toilet. I'm cautiously optimistic.

I knew what I was making for dinner and had it in the oven by 4:30 (UNbelievably rare). Most of the kids actually liked and ate dinner. Brennan came home and held the baby so I could get some things done. He made Joshua laugh so hard. I made a dent in the messes. We played our own version of charades for family home evening and that always cracks me up. Ben does the exact same thing every time he gets a turn which is to run around fake fighting an invisible foe and jumping and landing in really awesome poses. When we use up all the usual guesses and still don't get it, he'll say, "I'll give you a clue" and then tells us exactly who he's supposed to be. Brennan for reals acted out his favorite animal, the sloth, again (just in the game).

Now the noisy ones are all asleep and it's just Brennan, baby and me. It was a Good day.