Our week

This week was, you guessed it, a bit hectic. I'm not sure why I ever think it will be otherwise, but ever the optimist, I always have big dreams. Like this will be the week that I don't spend hours going in circles trying to organize my day, or this time I'll finish everything on my list early enough that I'll have some down time with Matt before bed, or maybe this will be the week that I develop enough discipline not to eat the entire tray of holiday baking that seems to appear everywhere I turn lately. My chances are not looking good, I admit. But baking aside, I think dealing with all this chaos is really more about perspective than anything else. I can't make The Children stop being The Children (and most of the time I don't want them any other way) and I can't force them to sleep through the night. I can't prevent the toys/blocks/crayons invasion that creeps its way into our house each and every day. I can't make little Shira move any faster on our way from the house to the car (she does have very tiny feet, you know, though you wouldn't know the size of her winter boots). And so I'll embrace the chaos, if only a tiny bit, and hope that a little change in perspective might make the week feel a little smoother. As my husband tells me constantly sometimes, I need to reframe my expectations.

No matter the chaos, my little family makes me laugh a lot. Like when I skipped out of work early this week to watch Alyce's first ever on-stage singing performance at school. Sure it was a Christmas concert (and we don't celebrate Christmas), but Alyce loved belting out Jingle Bells no matter what. I was an exceptionally proud mama, and before I realized what was happening, I was actually crying in the audience. I think hearing Alyce's warbly little voice singing alongside all her little kindergarten friends struck a nerve in my uterus and brought up an uncontrollable urge to return Alyce to her baby state. Because there is no way that the baby I grew in my body is now old enough to perform all the hand gestures to songs about Santa.

This weekend is about spending time together, the four of us. Last weekend Matt and I spent most of the time packing up the old house and packing everything away in storage, and getting even more settled into mum's house. It was a lot of work and Alyce and Shira spent a lot of their time with mum while we packed. This weekend we have no lists, a date with friends (and Liz, Alyce would like to know if the indoor park has any girl toys), and our only responsibility is to enjoy some quiet time however which way we please. We'll also (fingers crossed) enjoy some naps. Even the dollies around here are looking forward to a good nap or two.

How are you spending the weekend?