The other big entertainment items for this morning were bubbles and balls...always, balls in this household...soccer balls, basketballs, footballs, tennis balls, etc. Josiah also really got the hang of blowing bubbles. It was interesting to remember how last summer it was hard for him to do it by himself--he often blew too hard or didn't aim his air at the right place--but today he was blowing bubbles like a pro. I tried to get some good pictures of this, but I discovered it's hard to capture the right moment after the bubbles are blown but before they blow away or pop!While this was going on, I was busy moving boxes, sorting through things, moving shelves, and sweeping. Whew, what a dirty garage floor we had! I swept and swept and swept. It's such an interesting process to try to tackle a project while the boys are awake and around. I would work a little, then have to take a break to watch Josiah throw a football in a new way, then work a little more, then peek around the corner of the house to see David going up and down our front steps, then work a little more, then pay attention to Josiah as he blew bubbles and wanted me to see them, then work a little more, then make sure David hadn't wandered too far down the driveway in pursuit of a runaway ball, then work a little more, then answer Josiah's question about why it's not a good idea to throw a football at the minivan. :) Sometimes in situations like this, I feel like I'm just spinning my wheels; but at the end of the day, I am able to look back and see that I actually have accomplished something...and that's a good feeling.
2 comments:
There is a term for what you are describing. It's called "work and play", and at our house it usually involves a timer. I set the timer to do some work, then when it goes off I reset it to play, etc... This is often done in 15 minute increments, although I have been known to sneak and set the work timer for 20 and the play timer for 10. That is until smart little people could read the numbers and reming me that it wasn't right (Only 10! Nooooo!).
As soon as the kids leave for school in the AM or Chloe goes down for her morning quiet time, Kirk pipes up, "Remember, work and play, work and play." There are also hand motions to this...but that'a another story. And the big eyes.
It's a challenge to be involved with them but to not be the perpetual playmate. I remind them that Daddy expects me to get my work done around the house, and that they need to do theirs, too. And we do things together. Kirk likes to vacuum around the edges of the room with the vacuum hose (actually anything you can do with the vacuum hose is great fun) or clean the bathroom scale, etc... They like to dust with feather dusters, too.
Get used to a whole new way of trying to accomplish anything. A challenge for those of us who would like long stretches of uninterrupted time to complete projects. Alas, we're in the season of "work and play". And actually, once they know that you WILL take time for them, they get better at playing together or independently and not badgering so much.
Have a fun day! Work and play!
the word is "remind"...I'm not a great typist!
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