Today Bob (Jessica’s uncle) and Jules offered to take Art and Lewis to vehicle day. Thanks so much you two! (Jess and I took the babies to visit Bubbe at the hospice. And we also took Emmit, her wonderful cat).

Besides the rain it sounds like they had a lovely time sitting in or looking at big trucks and vehicles. Bob said Lewis hopped right up into the firetruck, quickly overcoming any past fear he had of there being fire inside. They took some photos:

Lewis in the firetruck.

Jules and the boys ride a lift thing.

Jules and boys on a bus.

Boy on a bus.

Apparently Si, Art’s good friend, was there’s too. Here’s what his mother Laurel wrote: “It was such a fun surprise to run into Art and Lewis at Vehicle Day. We weren’t expecting to see them, but then Si and Art climbed into the same fire truck from opposite sides at the same time, and the excitement ensued.”

And then, after hearing of how Lewis feared a fire truck cause there would be fire in it, she wrote this hilarious bit:

“…this story reminds me about how Anthony was telling us today that he’s afraid of the basement because there’s a tornado down there. Si tried to explain that there’s no tornado in the basement; basements are where we go when there’s a tornado outside ‘because tornadoes can’t climb down stairs.'”

Si drives the firetruck.

And then there’s this, a scary firehouse baby? Thanks for the photos, Bob!

I have succeeded the past two nights in getting the boys to leave me
alone after the last bedtime kiss – I will not return upstairs. They
have everything they need and can get back in bed by themselves if
they get water or need to pee. So what happens if there is a siren
outside after I've left them in their beds? I hear small feet get out
of bed and trudge across the room heading for my bedroom window, which
looks out to the street. After the siren has passed the feet take
their three-year-old owner right back to bed.–
Jessica

in an email to relatives planning to spend some time with Art and Lewis tomorrow and take them to 'vehicle day' where kids see all kinds of trucks and stuff, Jessica wrote:

"When I mentioned this possible outing to the boys Lewis said that he is scared of the fire truck because it has fire in it and so he does not want to go in the fire truck.  Art tried to explain that the fire truck 'puts the fire away' and does not shoot fire.  'Because only houses are on fire and if the fire truck shooted fire at the house that would be… a LOT of fire!'"

So, with all the help from Nanna and other family and friends since my mom entered hospice care I have not been at the helm around here for a while.  I mean, first my sister and I were at the hospital for the better part of every day for most of a week, then my mom started hospice at her home and Emily and I spent each about 16 or more hours a day at her house, including each night.  Then we started to alternate half days and then whole days with each other, then that got too exhausting so we brought mom to my house which proved to be even more chaotic.  Four weeks of intense decision making, loving care giving and family juggling.  Now mom, aka Bubbe, is in a benevolent hospice home and tonight I was on my own with the four children like old times. 

At first I was quite shaky with this whole parenting thing.  Really, it's been weeks since I had not given being a mother much thought , short of nursing, baby rocking and occasional book reading.  This afternoon all I wanted was for the children to all go away so I could just be alone with my thoughts and maybe even catch up on my housework, but the girls were up and Art was busy with his friend and Lewis was needing to woken from his long nap.  I knew Art shouldn't play a video game for more than 15 minutes or so but I couldn't really think of what I should do with him when I took it away.  I know Lewis shouldn't sleep past 4pm but I had no clue what to get him started on once I pried him out of bed.  I was irritated with Art's bad manners and unnerved by the girls' restlessness.  Gone was the parenting prowess I had developed and boasted three weeks ago.

Then, after being repeatedly pleaded with for chocolate sauce on vanilla if there was no chocolate ice cream I had a stroke of my old genius.  I knew what I wanted – "I want you to be more of a gentleman, Art!"  And I thought, that's it!  We will be gentlemen!  So I said, "A gentleman would say May I please have some chocolate ice cream? And if there is no chocolate ice cream the gentleman would reply, Quite all right.  Whatever you do have is fine.  Thank you."  And so for the rest of the evening I would say, "Be a gentleman" and get a very gracious response or request out of either boy.  Brilliant.  Because all my reading lately about children and play is that they will do so much more in the way of self-regulation and control if they are pretending to be something or someone.  Asking them to use their manners is one thing, but asking them to be a gentleman is quite different. 

And so I feel more in control and have regained a little confidence.  Excellent.  Quite.  Now I will go visit my mom tomorrow…

Look at those well used knees!

Cousins Bailey (left) and Charlotte.

Jessica and I love to admire the intention Lewis uses when he runs. In this photo he was running a second time for us, even ‘faster’. His arms extend fully and stiffen and his mouth opens widers–his little body has much more energy, but (hilariously) it travels at exactly the same speed.

No, that’s not spilled water on his shorts.