We spent the evening at a little lodge in San Simeon. The boys enjoyed hopping from our room to Papa and KK’s. They really enjoyed watching the Olympics cuddled up with Mom and Dad. Before they went to bed.

Next morning we walked down to the pebble beach to relax, explore, and watch the waves. We had a great time, the trip was exactly what all our little souls needed. I wonder where the next adventure will take us.

Pictures after the break:

Now off to edit the video from the trip…

Gung Hay Fa Choy – Happy Year of the Dragon!

William has a rough time with getting rid of anything he grows attached to his/our stuff… Even Capri Sun packets… I took the boys with me to drop it off because we were going to get a treat on the way home.

To distract the boys from what I was doing I had them look for shapes in the clouds out the front window, while I dropped off the stereo out the back of the car.

When I got back in and we started to drive Will and I had this conversation:

Will: “Do you know what I see in the clouds?”

Me: “What?”

Will: “Jesus.”

Me: “huh?”

Will: “yeah Jesus, Jesus Christ.”

Me: “oh”

Will: “Yeah he has a beard.”

Me: “What color is his beard?”

Will: “Daaaad, He’s a cloud…!”

yup…

This morning at breakfast we started talking about The Little Mermaid. Auntie Ali sent the boys a disc (THANK YOU!) with Disney songs on it. It’s been quite the hit.

After Under The Sea played (a personal favorite of mine) I was telling my boys about Sebastian and why he was singing that song. We haven’t watched that movie yet….

The boys are starting to put characters together since we have Disney Bingo so we were discussing how Ariel is a mermaid and her dad is the King of all the MerPeople (?).

Will: “King Triton is a mermaid too?”

Me: “No, he’s a merman. Mermaids are girls and mermen are boys.”

Walker: “Mermen? King Triton is a merman?”

Me: “Yep.”

Walker: “Papa and KK are mermans too!”

Mormon. He meant Mormon.

Ha ha ha!

So when Walker started expressing a great interest in all things military I had to reevaluate my feelings.

Parents have the tough role of being battle pickers. Which fights do we engage in? What’s the bigger picture? How do we in fact win the “war” of parenthood to raise healthy, happy individuals?

Well, this is how:

By letting our kids win some of the smaller battles. By putting parental distaste and embarrassment aside and letting our kids walk out into public in clothes we might not fully appreciate.

I bought that shirt (thank you 99-cent store!). I put it in their dresser rather than their dress-up box. And I’ve happily been drafted into the battle of camouflage and I’m letting Walker win this one. In the end, letting him make the decision and have some control means I am winning the parenting war. And that’s a good thing…

PS – on days that I really hate letting my kids dress themselves, I do comfort myself by chanting “it’s only a phase, it’s only a phase, it’s only a phase”….

Eric was so pleased with himself. Pleased, and confident enough, to tell me all about it. I, however, was a little skeptical. Will can lie like the best of them…but Walker…well, he can’t keep anything secret. So I was more than happy to indulge Eric by testing them out…

I asked several times – in different ways to try and get it out of them. Not because I want to know what they got, but rather to prove Eric wrong. Eric stood by and smiled, proud of his tutelage. And sure enough…Eric was right!

Isn’t it weird that we’re proud that our kids can lie to us? I’m sure that will bite us later….

Eric left about 1/2 hour ago for the Cast Party to celebrate the success of his play. I was washing dishes when Walker came into the kitchen. And here is what followed:

Walks: “Mom, do you want to know what your present is?”
Me (figuring it’s another test): “Yeah Walker, what did you get me?”
Walks: “I don’t know!”
(followed by laughter as he left the kitchen…only to turn around and say)
Walks: “Mom, we went to the store and got you stuff so you could keep smelling good. And make you clean. And lotion too!” (he’s rubbing my arm in a lotion applying gesture)
Me: “Oh Walks. You just told me what you bought me. Are you going to get in trouble?”
Walks: “Nope, Daddy isn’t here to hear me!”

This morning I rose before everyone else. I wandered through the house. Put a blanket on Eric who had slept in the room with the boys. Tucked the boys back into their bedding, away from the cool morning air. Grabbed my robe and latest book and retreated to the couch.

In most ways this morning is no different than any other one. Tomorrow morning however will be the start of something new. A new out-of-the-home job for me – with hours early in the morning away from the boys.

Will paddled out first this morning. Saw me in the kitchen and ran to get up into my arms.
We cuddled on the couch and I started getting a little teary. He asked if they were “tears of love” which is usually what I tell him. This morning I was honest and said, no these tears were of sadness because I’ll miss my morning time with him. He curled right up to me and said “It’s not a big deal Mom.”

He is right. I consider myself incredibly lucky to have the time with the boys that I do. I get to make a choice. I recognize the value, and cost, of me staying home with the kids…and the value and cost lost of me not working. So this new opportunity is perfect. It allows me to meet some of our family goals with little strain on the boys.

And yet, Will’s wrong. Not because giving up my mornings is a big deal. That’s not it. It’s recognizing that the boys are growing up. They are at a place where who they are with during the day doesn’t matter as much as it used to. Most of their basic needs, food, toilet, sleep – are things they can provide for themselves.

I’m not trying to devalue myself – or make it seem like they are past the point of mothering. Rather that as a mom one of the strangest parts of my jobs is that it is constantly evolving. Each new development and phase for them requires a new job description and skill set from me. And this new phase for me also marks a new phase for them. A more independent one.

Oh. I’m going to miss my mornings. What they are. What they signify.

But…for now…for this moment I am going to turn off the computer and tune into my son who just asked me to come play and qualified his request with “…because Mom, playing with me is your favorite thing in the world.”

Yes it is.

(cross posted on my personal blog)