Back to reality

This is my third week of 4-day work weeks and by far the hardest to get back into. But at least I know it’s a shorter week – I guess that means that next week will be even harder! Oy.

How about a little catch-up list? I can really only think in bullet points

• When your oldest child cheers about it being a daycare day, you know you’ve picked a good one. (Jack doesn’t really cheer but then he cries when I walk out of the room right now, so other than being attached to me at all times, I don’t think he’d care to go anywhere. But he does love it, too, just can’t separate as easily.)
• I made both my kids eat a piece of raw cauliflower last night and both of them gagged while chewing but ate it all so they could get a piece of candy. Not sure if that’s good parenting or not, wouldn’t it just be better to give them neither one?
• DMB Caravan was a great day of music and hanging out with friends. The event planners estimated there were about 100,000 people there and amazingly we hardly saw any security and everything went pretty smoothly. We saw Jeff Coffin and the Mut’et(DMB’s saxophonist and his band), The Jayhawks, a bit of Emmy Lou Harris, The Flaming Lips, David Gray and of course, Dave Matthews Band. It was hot but not muggy and they had misting tents and water stations so it was bearable. The only downside was that we were there on the third day and it was pretty dusty – I think I can honestly say I’ve never been so covered with dirt. But being covered with dirt to hear and see such great performances was a good trade. One of my favorite moments was when DMB covered Aerosmith’s “Sweet Emotion” (live song covers are my favorite part of concerts because you know you are witnessing something unique; here’s a link to the Atlantic City performance of the same song). Simon was in heaven because he loves the extended musical interludes you don’t get to hear on studio albums. Everyone was happy.
• Saturday night we ate at a New Orleans-style restaurant and it was great food, so tasty and actually authentic (ironic for its south-side of Chicago locale). There was also a small wedding celebration happening and part way through our meal someone came up behind me and tried to put their arms around me and when I turned, expecting to see a drunk adult, it was a little kid about Liam’s age who was trying to get me to hug him and give me a kiss at the same time. He was quite strong for his small size and I had all I could do keep him off me – it was hilarious and disconcerting at the same time. For a moment I though I was going to have to shove him off me but his mother finally saw what was happening and rescued me.
• My kids were in heaven since they got to spend the whole weekend with their grandparents – though Liam reported that my mom just cleaned a lot and that when she laughs, her cheeks wiggle a lot.
• My dad called last night after they got home to report that Liam swore while we were gone. They were in the bathroom and my mom had moved the boys’ cup from the right side of the sink to the left and when he saw it, Liam sighed, picked it up and said “Damn it” as he moved it back to the “right” side. I do not know where he gets such language, I’m truly blaming grandpa on this one.
• When I’m putting Jack to sleep or dropping him off somewhere, I usually tell him “you’ll be fine” or “you’re fine” or “you’ll have fun” and he’s created his own variation for these occasions. Last night when I tucked him in, he said in a pitiful little voice, “I’ll be fun.” And he said it again this morning when I left him at daycare.
• I cannot believe the year is half over – before we know it, it’s going to be Christmas again. I’ll leave you with that thought… you’re welcome!