The Search for Miss Direction: Quality Time with the Bean

Friday, March 8, 2013

Quality Time with the Bean

You'd think that with Noah being in school three mornings a week that Mikayla and I get a chance to spend a lot of good quality time together. Unfortunately, the time that we have together is usually filled with running errands, me finally being able to grab a shower or something else that lets us be together but not really enjoy each other's company.

Today though, we had some extra time and we took advantage of it. We've made it a bit of a treat once a month for Grant to pick up Noah from school and go to lunch. Since we hadn't done it since probably December and since it got cancelled on Wednesday when it was supposed to be (Hey, people in Hungary, I really hope you appreciate the fact that my husband was at work at 5am for you the other day!) Grant made time today for them to get together. And since Mikayla and I weren't rushing around I asked her what she'd like to do.

We could clean the bathroom, Mom.

Really???? I ask her what she wants to do and she says clean the bathroom. Alrighty then... When we finished that up I asked her what was next.

Can I run the vacuum?

At this point the child was starting to give me a complex. Was she trying to tell me something about the current state of the house? It was on my "To Do" list for the day and I'd be a fool to turn down the help.... So vacuum we did!

After all that I told her she deserved a treat for lunch. Spongebob mac and cheese. Sold.

And can I watch Sesame Street, Mom? Sure, why not! My small fry just had helped me knock off the housework and made it 100 times more enjoyable than doing it by myself. (Oh if I could only tell you some of the things she said and the conversation we carried on while we worked...)

Sesame Street ends and I suddenly have a three year old flying at me and grabbing me around the legs.

I love you, Mama.
I love you, too, Kayla.
Always, no matter what I will love you.
I will always love you too, Bean.
Even when I'm mad at you, Mom.

She cracks me up. I was so enjoying her company I made her whole day - I asked her to help me make today's food (Peanut Clusters). Even more than Noah, Mikayla LOVES Kid Kitchen. On a regular basis she gets up and asks me if its Tuesday. You can give her the simple task of stirring the batter and you'd think you had moved heaven and earth for her. Peanut clusters it was!

Speaking of the peanut clusters, I'm not quite sure about them. They do not strike me as what I would think of a peanut cluster as being - too much oat in them. Kosakowskis- they really remind me of the chocolate no bake oatmeal cookies but with peanuts. While everyone here liked them I probably won't be rushing off to make them again. (Though with Mikayla's help it was pretty fun ;-) ) But for what it's worth, peanut clusters consider yourself celebrated.

Crab two ways tomorrow. And perhaps a very fun undertaking in the bathtub. Until then...

Oh, and Kayla? I love you too - no matter what. Even when I'm mad at you. Even more then.