The Park

Monday was a free day for Buby and Bleu due to parent-teacher conferences. My friend Allison watched my three plus her Ben while I walked over to the school. The meetings all ran very late and long, and Bleu had to miss her gymnastics class because of it.


By the time I got home my girl was melting into a puddle of fuss, and Bear had just split his lip by tripping on a doll crib. There were more tears over lunch, a friend stopped by to drop off backpacks for a charity, and then we switched gears.


Sometimes all it takes to change the course of our day is a simple walk. My children--and I think all children--need to be outside. Fresh air forgives all. We went to the park. We took our time. We ran and played and forgot all about the persnickety morning Bleu just had {sorry, Allison!}. In fact, I caught the wee ones hugging several times during our hike.


Later that night I noticed Buby and Bleu getting into it again. "Mom! She pushed me!" and "Well, HE won't move!" That kind of stuff. The good vibe was disintegrating fast. Immediately I turned off the dance music and pointed both kids to the playroom couch. "Sit there. Don't move." I have a pretty low tolerance for bickering. Everything was quiet for a minute and then I said, "Gavin, quick, tell Nola something you love about her." He did. And then I turned to Bleu and said, "Now Nola, tell Gav something you love about him." They faced each other and the sweetest thing happened.


Buby: "I like your big brown eyes, Nola."

Bleu: "Thank you. I like your red paints, Gavin."

Buby: "Thanks. I like your rainbows that you draw."

Bleu: "Thanks. Gavin, I like how one day you read me all the princess stories while Mommy was putting the baby down for nap."

Buby: "I like how you take care of your babies."

Bleu: "I like how you use scissors and not cut your fingers."

Buby: "Thanks. I like your nail polish, Nola."

Bleu: "I like your nail polish."

Buby: "Oliver, I like your cute baby butt. Haha."

Bleu: "Oliver, you are cute.

Bleu again: "And Mommy... I like the bags that you put up. Can we open one now?"


By the end the two were laughing hysterically. And hugging. And back on track.