today's treasures

although it appeared a day like any other day, it was in fact my birthday

one to be remembered and treasured

the parties had already happened

I took the time to play hide and seek with my children.

     it was so fun: 

they love to be found, so are always giggling.

they love to find, so you always have a partner in crime.

they never tire of the same hiding places 

(the closet, behind a chair, under the bed, under a blanket) 

and if you happen to strike upon a new or unusual spot (standing on the bed under a blanket), 
the reward of uncontrollable laughter is intoxicating.

I felt like a child myself and reveled in the simple fun we were having.

     Later I was treated to a night off:

Joe fed, entertained and then put those same lovely children to bed

while I got to enjoy a quiet meal and watch a film I had been wanting to see 

and it only cost me one "Mister Mommy Money" from a generous stack of thirty 
which had been so lovingly created the night before.

Now I felt like a youth again, with seemingly endless time to myself for relaxation and reflection.

and as I reflected I felt like a woman loved, adored, and supported;
a mother content, heart-warmed, and happy
yes, these are the treasures of today.

Chuck E Cheese

This is what you do when you have six birthdays all within a week of each other:

Get together at Chuck E Cheese

Eat pizza

Let the kids run wild through a maze of crazy token arcade games,

Wearing them (I mean us) out

Eat cake 

but don't add up everyone's ages and put that many candles (167) on the cake, because even with six people blowing them out, you probably wouldn't have much of a cake left.

Use more tokens & choose cheap prizes that nevertheless bring boundless excitement

Go home and crash into bed, exhausted but content that the entire night was a hit

per our travel conversation-

L "oh dad, I LOVED it."

J "what was your favorite thing?"

L "EVERYTHING"

too quiet

every mother knows the feeling

the one you get when you suddenly realize that your children, 

who have been playing happily together, 

are now much too quiet and you know it is time to investigate-

I found them huddled together in the bathroom, bottles of nail polish strewn about; 

SHE proudly painting his fingernails and toenails, 

HE displaying them happily and then bounding down the hallway.

I helped them clean up, reiterated my nail polish rule: 

that it should only be utilized under my supervision 

and thought to myself-

"it's a good thing she's got a sister coming soon!"

STILL my birthday

somehow his birthday always kind of sneaks up on me, coming so soon after the holidays.

but we still managed to pull together a train birthday cake to share with friends and family 
it all started with his actual birthday on Wednesday

this time much anticipated and talked about

he helped with the decorating of the cake 

("can I eat this, mom?")

and so proud to finally be a "big boy" who is 3.

We left the decor up for a few days to keep in the festivity of it all and of course his happy birthday balloon was hanging around, lower and lower each day.

coupled with the question "mom, is it my birthday still?"

Well, I think I finally had him convinced it was no longer his birthday

until he went to church today and got the royal treatment in nursery

he came home and told me, "mom, you were wrong. it IS still my birthday"

now, how can you argue with that?