This is how we roll

Today:

We sat outside in the sun and blew bubbles. We used a little bubble blower that has a tiny fan to blow bubbles for you. It worked, blowing big bubbles, but we decided that the bubble wands are just as much fun. James mastered the art of blowing just so, to make bubbles! James and Naomi took turns using both. Then James poured the rest of the lemon-scented bubble solution into his rain boot. Three-year-old reasoning that I just don't understand.

We hunted for slugs and bugs and found a few. James tried to get close to a pair of robins, they weren't very trusting and hopped away. James said he should throw rocks at him. I let him know that wouldn't win any friends for him. The birds flew away. Naomi and James visited our neighbors, a retired couple who like to give them treats. Today they came back with chocolate chip cookies. 

James used a stick to pretend it was a sword and tried to cut branches off the trees.

I showed Naomi and James the tiny buds of our tulips and daffodils that are just starting to push up out of the ground in front of our house. And made them promise not to walk on them!

the requested lunch was cheese roll-ups, spaghetti sauce for dip, milk, and grapes. I thought about making something more sophisticated for myself, but didn't.

Naomi went to preschool and James and I took a walk to the playground. He insisted on trying the monkey bars "all by himself". I let him, but saved him before the inevitable fall. He was so close to getting to the next bar. I helped him back and forth about twenty times. Ok, maybe not that many times, but probably about 8 times. After a while the three-year-old reasoning was present again and he was getting shoe-fulls of bark chips to dump down the slide. That was fun until an older girl wanted to use the slide, she was not amused.

 We walked home to get snacks and drinks and I decided it was time for a hair cut for James. His blond hair was getting a little long. I have clippers, I've cut it before, how difficult could it be?

It's difficult. Mostly because little boys like to wiggle and itchy hair makes them wiggle more. And trying to re-capture your escaped lady bug makes them wiggle the most.

But it turned out cute! Now that I know better what I'm doing, I can become his official hair-cutter. I've trimmed Naomi's several times, but scissors and clippers are entirely different animals. Lucky for me they both have curly hair, minor mistakes are invisible. And pretty soon I'll be pro, so no mistakes....

After James and I picked up Naomi and her carpool from preschool, Naomi's friend, Jagger got to come back home with us and play for a while.

We got out some dinosaur cards that were mine when I was little. I had a big dinosaur phase. I think everyone does. Stegosaurus is still my favorite. We learned how long, how big, what they ate, and how to say their names.

Now the kids are playing that they are puppies and making forts with blankets and chairs to be their dog houses. Naomi gets to be in charge. Because she just is. She named her puppies "fleabag" and "spider". I have no idea. Both boys willingly and readily comply. It works out well.

Also, the color orange has been highly debated lately at our house. Is it a girl color, or a boy color. James insists it is a BOY color. Naomi holds that is it definitely both. I have to agree with Naomi. In fact it's probably a really good neutral color, better than green (more boy) and yellow (more girl).

These are the important topics around the table these days. Daily requests for orange utensils, plates and cups are the norm. A few weeks ago it was yellow. I'm sure next week it will be green.

Life with kids is so daily, and not glamorous. But it's fun, and funny, and on days like today I really love it.

These are the little things that aren't so important, but I like writing about them, so I can look back and remember all those little details.