One on one time

Two weeks from today we'll be home from the beach and the kids will be in bed after their first day of school - which also happens to be William's 6th birthday (poor kid!) He starts kindergarten this year, and it's all-day here - I hope he has a good experience & isn't too wiped out for cake & presents afterwords.

With that in mind, I try to do something one-on-one with each of them before school starts, and also at the end of the year - probably should do it more often, but that's when I think about it. Evie and I were going to get pedicures this evening before our beach trip, so last night I asked William what he wanted to do, maybe lunch or something. I'm thinking he'll say 'the Mexican restuarant' as he has a serious love of salsa. Not even close. He wanted to go to McDonalds. So he could get a Happy Meal, with a cheeseburger and french fries. And he wanted to dip the fries in ketchup mixed with mustard and mayonaise. Because it's really good (and surprisingly, it was!) But wait, it gets better:
He wanted to go to the McDonalds inside Walmart - because we never eat there. (I wonder why?) Thankfully, he changed his mind and we stopped at 'the green McDonalds' and had lunch on our way to run some other errands. He stayed with me and walked like a normal person the entire time we were out, and was a total pleasure to be with. It was a nice change - usually he's the one I want to strangle.

Evie and I then went for our pedicures after dinner, which she just LOVES to do (though this was only her second trip in two years) - she just wishes she were big enough to take full advantage of the massage chair (heaven!) I got a kick out of the amazed and curious look on her face as the Vietnamese ladies chatted in their language while we relaxed and enjoyed ourselves.

I love my kids to death - but I enjoy them so much more when it's just me and one of them, doing something fun together. No bickering, arguing, whining, fighting & crying because so-and-so did or did not do this or that. It's next to impossible to have any coherent conversation with any of them (or Matt) when they are all around; and I'm really over being 'that' Mom you see out in public, miserable and snarling at her kids because she's being tortured in a way only her own children can pull off. Will I miss Evie and William when school starts? Absolutely. The house will be so quiet during the day without them. Am I looking forward to the time with just Sarah and Jason? You bet. Jason's turned into a little talking person right before my very eyes and we're going to have lots of fun together this fall. I just can't believe it's almost here already.