Days Like Today
This was just a day that I want to remember, but I rarely write these things down.
Today I picked up Riley and Darby from their grandma's at around 10:30 am. Brian is at school, so I of course took Jordan with me. I told Jordan before we left he needed to pick up the toys in his room and change his clothes. I went upstairs to get ready and I could hear activity going on downstairs, but I was unsure whether it was cleaning or playing. I went down to check. Jordan was cleaning up his toys, he had changed out of his pj's, put on his Spiderman sandals, and of course, his green swimming goggles. "I'm almost ready to go" he tells me. I smiled and said, "okay".
When we arrived, Darby ran to the car, jumped in, and gave Jordan a great big hug and told him how much she missed him. On the way they discussed what they had done during the week with their dad and their little kid banter makes my heart feel light. They are always discussing nonsense, but they sound like little adults.
Jordan had been waiting for days to tell Riley of these new army men he had received from Marc and Doug, his cousins. Riley was excited to see these new toys and asked Jordan a million questions about what they were like. He then paused and said, "I can't remember who Marc and Doug are." Jordan responed, "they're our cousins, remember?" He did. They actually aren't Riley's cousins, they're Jordan's cousins, but for some reason he said "our". Which is just very unual because they never, ever refer to each other as brother (because they aren't) and there is "Riley and Darby's grandma" and "Jordan's grandma", it is a rare occasion that they share a relative. Even the baby has been up for dispute about whose sister she is. It took a couple of times to explain she is everyone's sister.
They continued with their discussion and changed the subject a million times, as little kids do, until we arrived home. We decided to go on a picnic to the park. I packed us up some lunches while they played with their new army men. We finally loaded into the car and headed to the park. I took them to park a little further from home, just for some variety, and we set up our picnic. There were some seagulls nearby watching us eat so the boys began to throw their bread crust at them. Seagulls are dumb, ducks would have been more fun, but I didn't see any. However, the kids seemed fascinated with the creatures and continued to throw food at them. Sometimes the birds saw the food sometimes it would just go untouched to waste away in the grass.
After the seagulls' attraction wore off they ran to play on the playground equipment. I brough along a book to read while they ran and slid and climbed. I looked up from my book every few moments to make sure everyone was there, because I have a fear of them getting hurt and an even bigger fear that they will be abducted right from under my nose. Most likely the result of too many TV dramas. At one point I looked up and Darby was spinning the carousel for some boy that must have been 7 or 8. I thought it comical that this little 5 year old was running around as fast as she could go for some boy she didn't even know. What was she doing I wondered? Why was she spinning that boy? Darby, however, is an enigma. No one has been able to figure her out. I continued to read.
After a few more glances I noticed that Riley had left the playground and was sitting in front of flock of seagulls, just watching them. He then started to run through the flock, making the dumb birds flap about and fly away. They would land a few feet from their original location and he would do it again. Whatever, weirdo. Again I continued to read. This time when I looked up Riley had a branch in his hand and he was chasing one of the seagulls with the branch. The seagull was high in the air, but it still seemed he was trying to get away from this little boy on the ground. Stupid bird. He could fly anywhere, Riley wouldn't be able to get him and yet he still seemed afraid. I made Riley stop torturing them because birds freak me out. I didn't want them attacking us.
Jordan was contently playing on the playground equipment because that's what he loves to do. He never tires and he would probably be happy to stay their all afternoon. But Riley was getting restless. I think it had to do with his new army man fort sitting on the living room floor unfinished. Jordan didn't put up a fight when Riley told him he wanted to leave and go play with army men.
We arrived home and Riley and Jordan were immediately on the floor finishing their project. Darby, however, was not interested. She said she was going to her friend Olivia's house. This spawned Jordan's attention immediately. He proclaimed that he too was going to go to Olivia's. I think it's because Olivia has a pool, but neither put on their swim suit before they left, so who knows why he wanted to join Darby. Riley didn't even notice they were gone. I decided to put on my bikini and go out back to read.
I went out back and set up my chair. I also cursed myself for not making Jordan and Darby pick up the dog poop before they left. Oh well. I found a spot that wasn't too putried. I started to get settled when I heard their voices coming back from out front. Olivia must not be home. Yes, my luck is changing. "Hey guys, what are you doing?" I ask innocently.
"Nothing, Olivia isn't home so we came back." One of them responded, I don't remember which one.
"Well, how about you guys come back here and pick up dog poop?" I ask, but I'm actually telling them. They know it wasn't a question because they just started heading to the back yard to get the poop bucket and shovel. They also complained about the smell and how horrible it was, but that didn't stop them from going around the yard, one scooping the other holding the bucket. I told them since they were doing such a wonderful job when they were finished I would put on the sprinkler for them. The new sprinkler. "Yeeeah!!!" they both squealed and hurriedly finished with their chore. They ran inside to get on their suits, while I lugged their new sprinkler out of the shed and tried to find a hose to attach it to. The first hose didn't agree with me because I couldn't get the sprinkler head off that someone obviously attached with great strenght. So I used the other one and decided it would be fun to have two sprinklers going at the same time. It was and even Chloe joined in the festivities. In fact, while I was getting the hose into place she was already running around waiting for the water to spurt out for her to attack and drink.
The two little ones ran outside dressed in their swimming wear. On a usual day, Jordan and Darby don't agree on much and they tend to bicker quite often about everything. Even when they should be having fun. Not today. Today they were running in and out of the sprinklers, laughing at Chloe and making up games to play. I thought, at one point, that I should run upstairs to get the camera because they looked so cute. All three of them in one sprinkler, smiling, even Chloe. My chance passed and I felt a bit of regret. Next time.
When they had enough Darby suggested they go in and play princess. She brought over a princess outfit from her grandma's and surprisingly, Jordan said okay without hesitation or complaint, which I also found odd. They dried off and I picked up the mess in the back yard and then proceeded to sun bathe. I went in for a minute to get a bottle of water. I heard Jordan knock on the laundry room door saying, "okay, let me in now."
"Just one more minute,"says Darby. "Okay, are you ready now?" he asks somewhat impatiently. She then flings opens the door and Jordan in an awe struck voice proclaims, "You're wearing all of my clothes!!! Take my clothes off!!!" And they both bust out in laughter, because indeed Darby has every piece of clothing on that Jordan was wearing earlier. She told him she would take them off and Jordan says, "alright my turn." As if to imply that he would be dressing in her clothes next. I don't think he ever did. The next time I came in she was in her princess outfit and Jordan was dressed in his own clothes.
Right now they are resting peacefully though I don't believe they're asleep. However, it doesn't matter because they aren't making a ruckus and they aren't talking. They are doing what I asked them to do and so far today all three of them have been angels. Even Riley, who can sometimes be mouthy and complains that he has nothing to do. If only everyday were like this.
Today I picked up Riley and Darby from their grandma's at around 10:30 am. Brian is at school, so I of course took Jordan with me. I told Jordan before we left he needed to pick up the toys in his room and change his clothes. I went upstairs to get ready and I could hear activity going on downstairs, but I was unsure whether it was cleaning or playing. I went down to check. Jordan was cleaning up his toys, he had changed out of his pj's, put on his Spiderman sandals, and of course, his green swimming goggles. "I'm almost ready to go" he tells me. I smiled and said, "okay".
When we arrived, Darby ran to the car, jumped in, and gave Jordan a great big hug and told him how much she missed him. On the way they discussed what they had done during the week with their dad and their little kid banter makes my heart feel light. They are always discussing nonsense, but they sound like little adults.
Jordan had been waiting for days to tell Riley of these new army men he had received from Marc and Doug, his cousins. Riley was excited to see these new toys and asked Jordan a million questions about what they were like. He then paused and said, "I can't remember who Marc and Doug are." Jordan responed, "they're our cousins, remember?" He did. They actually aren't Riley's cousins, they're Jordan's cousins, but for some reason he said "our". Which is just very unual because they never, ever refer to each other as brother (because they aren't) and there is "Riley and Darby's grandma" and "Jordan's grandma", it is a rare occasion that they share a relative. Even the baby has been up for dispute about whose sister she is. It took a couple of times to explain she is everyone's sister.
They continued with their discussion and changed the subject a million times, as little kids do, until we arrived home. We decided to go on a picnic to the park. I packed us up some lunches while they played with their new army men. We finally loaded into the car and headed to the park. I took them to park a little further from home, just for some variety, and we set up our picnic. There were some seagulls nearby watching us eat so the boys began to throw their bread crust at them. Seagulls are dumb, ducks would have been more fun, but I didn't see any. However, the kids seemed fascinated with the creatures and continued to throw food at them. Sometimes the birds saw the food sometimes it would just go untouched to waste away in the grass.
After the seagulls' attraction wore off they ran to play on the playground equipment. I brough along a book to read while they ran and slid and climbed. I looked up from my book every few moments to make sure everyone was there, because I have a fear of them getting hurt and an even bigger fear that they will be abducted right from under my nose. Most likely the result of too many TV dramas. At one point I looked up and Darby was spinning the carousel for some boy that must have been 7 or 8. I thought it comical that this little 5 year old was running around as fast as she could go for some boy she didn't even know. What was she doing I wondered? Why was she spinning that boy? Darby, however, is an enigma. No one has been able to figure her out. I continued to read.
After a few more glances I noticed that Riley had left the playground and was sitting in front of flock of seagulls, just watching them. He then started to run through the flock, making the dumb birds flap about and fly away. They would land a few feet from their original location and he would do it again. Whatever, weirdo. Again I continued to read. This time when I looked up Riley had a branch in his hand and he was chasing one of the seagulls with the branch. The seagull was high in the air, but it still seemed he was trying to get away from this little boy on the ground. Stupid bird. He could fly anywhere, Riley wouldn't be able to get him and yet he still seemed afraid. I made Riley stop torturing them because birds freak me out. I didn't want them attacking us.
Jordan was contently playing on the playground equipment because that's what he loves to do. He never tires and he would probably be happy to stay their all afternoon. But Riley was getting restless. I think it had to do with his new army man fort sitting on the living room floor unfinished. Jordan didn't put up a fight when Riley told him he wanted to leave and go play with army men.
We arrived home and Riley and Jordan were immediately on the floor finishing their project. Darby, however, was not interested. She said she was going to her friend Olivia's house. This spawned Jordan's attention immediately. He proclaimed that he too was going to go to Olivia's. I think it's because Olivia has a pool, but neither put on their swim suit before they left, so who knows why he wanted to join Darby. Riley didn't even notice they were gone. I decided to put on my bikini and go out back to read.
I went out back and set up my chair. I also cursed myself for not making Jordan and Darby pick up the dog poop before they left. Oh well. I found a spot that wasn't too putried. I started to get settled when I heard their voices coming back from out front. Olivia must not be home. Yes, my luck is changing. "Hey guys, what are you doing?" I ask innocently.
"Nothing, Olivia isn't home so we came back." One of them responded, I don't remember which one.
"Well, how about you guys come back here and pick up dog poop?" I ask, but I'm actually telling them. They know it wasn't a question because they just started heading to the back yard to get the poop bucket and shovel. They also complained about the smell and how horrible it was, but that didn't stop them from going around the yard, one scooping the other holding the bucket. I told them since they were doing such a wonderful job when they were finished I would put on the sprinkler for them. The new sprinkler. "Yeeeah!!!" they both squealed and hurriedly finished with their chore. They ran inside to get on their suits, while I lugged their new sprinkler out of the shed and tried to find a hose to attach it to. The first hose didn't agree with me because I couldn't get the sprinkler head off that someone obviously attached with great strenght. So I used the other one and decided it would be fun to have two sprinklers going at the same time. It was and even Chloe joined in the festivities. In fact, while I was getting the hose into place she was already running around waiting for the water to spurt out for her to attack and drink.
The two little ones ran outside dressed in their swimming wear. On a usual day, Jordan and Darby don't agree on much and they tend to bicker quite often about everything. Even when they should be having fun. Not today. Today they were running in and out of the sprinklers, laughing at Chloe and making up games to play. I thought, at one point, that I should run upstairs to get the camera because they looked so cute. All three of them in one sprinkler, smiling, even Chloe. My chance passed and I felt a bit of regret. Next time.
When they had enough Darby suggested they go in and play princess. She brought over a princess outfit from her grandma's and surprisingly, Jordan said okay without hesitation or complaint, which I also found odd. They dried off and I picked up the mess in the back yard and then proceeded to sun bathe. I went in for a minute to get a bottle of water. I heard Jordan knock on the laundry room door saying, "okay, let me in now."
"Just one more minute,"says Darby. "Okay, are you ready now?" he asks somewhat impatiently. She then flings opens the door and Jordan in an awe struck voice proclaims, "You're wearing all of my clothes!!! Take my clothes off!!!" And they both bust out in laughter, because indeed Darby has every piece of clothing on that Jordan was wearing earlier. She told him she would take them off and Jordan says, "alright my turn." As if to imply that he would be dressing in her clothes next. I don't think he ever did. The next time I came in she was in her princess outfit and Jordan was dressed in his own clothes.
Right now they are resting peacefully though I don't believe they're asleep. However, it doesn't matter because they aren't making a ruckus and they aren't talking. They are doing what I asked them to do and so far today all three of them have been angels. Even Riley, who can sometimes be mouthy and complains that he has nothing to do. If only everyday were like this.
Wrapped up by Jolynn at
1:05 PM
2 Comments:
See? Still? I want YOUR life!
By
Beth, at 10:59 AM, July 25, 2005
It's a very rare occasion that everyone is the same happy go lucky mood. I wish they were sweet hearts all the time. Maybe there was just something in the air yesterday.
By
Jolynn, at 12:02 PM, July 25, 2005
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