In my attempt to keep Madie from driving me mad again today I called up my friend Lindi to invite her daughter to come play for an hour or so. She immediately said yes and so we had little Elise dropped off here around 12. When Madie saw her beautiful, keeping-cool-in-the-Georgia-heat style dress, she suggested that she too should wear a dress--shocking, I know--and slipped into her yellow polka-dotted one so that she and Elise could "both be princesses."
The peace I expected Elise to bring only lasted for about five minutes. Madie then started coming to me with all sorts of complaints about "Elise using my computer" (read "book that plays music"), and "Elise not wanting chocolate milk" (which is, indeed, a hard concept for Madie to grasp, I dare say), and questions about Elise's likes and dislikes. All of these I responded with, "Try to work it out honey," or "I don't know. Why don't you ask Elise what she likes?" So I quickly threw together a lunch and took them out to the courtyard where I walked Finn around in the stroller. I must say we have very picturesque grounds at our complex: all shade trees and deep grass. To watch those two little curly-headed lassies run around in their cheerful dresses was like watching a scene from The Secret Garden--sans Dickon in the wheelchair. The sunlight picked it's way through the leafy branches and lit up the top of Madie's head like she was giving off an aura. They found such delight in "chasing" Finn and me and then I would turn suddenly and reach out to grasp them and they would scamper away screaming. (I'm sure the neighbors loved it.)
It was improved upon by our neighbor and her kids returning from a walk soon after we got out there. Madie and Elise are right in between the ages JulieAnna and Scarlet are, so generally they kind of did their own things each, but I really enjoyed visiting with Michelle. And I'm sure she enjoyed visiting with me, since I'm such an interesting person. Finnegan, of course, was doing his second-favorite activity: sleeping.
It's been so much better than yesterday thanks to Lindi (and especially Elise) and Jessica, who took Madie for a couple hours--okay, it's going on three as I type--to hang out at their place. It's been so nice to actually get some housework done and relax without Madie throwing fits or constantly pestering me for one thing or another. Days like yesterday are 99% caused by boredom, so to have something to look forward to, like a friend coming, helps so much. And then to have something to look back on, like giggling in the trees, tops it off with a little added sweetness.
The peace I expected Elise to bring only lasted for about five minutes. Madie then started coming to me with all sorts of complaints about "Elise using my computer" (read "book that plays music"), and "Elise not wanting chocolate milk" (which is, indeed, a hard concept for Madie to grasp, I dare say), and questions about Elise's likes and dislikes. All of these I responded with, "Try to work it out honey," or "I don't know. Why don't you ask Elise what she likes?" So I quickly threw together a lunch and took them out to the courtyard where I walked Finn around in the stroller. I must say we have very picturesque grounds at our complex: all shade trees and deep grass. To watch those two little curly-headed lassies run around in their cheerful dresses was like watching a scene from The Secret Garden--sans Dickon in the wheelchair. The sunlight picked it's way through the leafy branches and lit up the top of Madie's head like she was giving off an aura. They found such delight in "chasing" Finn and me and then I would turn suddenly and reach out to grasp them and they would scamper away screaming. (I'm sure the neighbors loved it.)
It was improved upon by our neighbor and her kids returning from a walk soon after we got out there. Madie and Elise are right in between the ages JulieAnna and Scarlet are, so generally they kind of did their own things each, but I really enjoyed visiting with Michelle. And I'm sure she enjoyed visiting with me, since I'm such an interesting person. Finnegan, of course, was doing his second-favorite activity: sleeping.
It's been so much better than yesterday thanks to Lindi (and especially Elise) and Jessica, who took Madie for a couple hours--okay, it's going on three as I type--to hang out at their place. It's been so nice to actually get some housework done and relax without Madie throwing fits or constantly pestering me for one thing or another. Days like yesterday are 99% caused by boredom, so to have something to look forward to, like a friend coming, helps so much. And then to have something to look back on, like giggling in the trees, tops it off with a little added sweetness.
2 comments:
You're so funny Mal...glad your day (s) got a little better...sounded rough!! :) Think of all the help and play dates you could have if you lived here in AZ!!!! :)
Keep staying positive!! But funny you mentioned she is three...because everyone always seemed to warn against "terrible 2's"...but mine were always much harder when they were three...sorry..shoulda warned you! :)
I know! Everyone talks about 2, but now she's three and everyone's like, "Yeah, that was the worst age for my kids too." I'm like, "oh, thanks for the headsup."
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