Your mom is weird

We went back to school yesterday after almost two weeks of being at home together. And while I'm sure that while you won't be surprised to say I grabbed two other mommies and did a hugging, jumping happy dance in the middle of the hallway after I dropped you off, you might be surprised to hear how much I missed you guys during those two hours.

I will admit that things are usually much easier if I can run and do errands on my own. If there is a time constraint, just the thought of getting all of you dressed in coats, HSM and getting you out the door and into the car, into your car seats without incident usually wastes three minutes while I try to come out of that mental tailspin. But for the last two weeks I didn't have that option and I am happy to say how pleasantly surprised I was by how well behaved you have been.

We work on your manners at home. We work on please and thank you, we work on "Come here, please" so that I don't have to be that mom who yells and chases her kids, we work on sitting at the table while eating (still working on that one), on using napkins and cleaning up after ourselves. But last week I was the beneficiary of all our hard work when I took you three to Costco and was able to sit down and ENJOY that lunch with you. You smiled, you waited, you shared your drink, you cleaned up your messes with your napkins and you cleared your spaces and threw away your own garbage. I was so tickled that we even went back and split an ice cream.

Call me crazy, and I know you think it's such a silly thing, but I'm starting to enjoy taking you out. When your Dad was gone, it was a chore. Baby in a car seat (30 pounds there), a toddler who would run into traffic or away at any opportunity and a two, then three year old who was remarkable for her age but still a hassle. There was NO point of it where I was able to relax and watch you eat your lunch.

But now, now I think we might be willing to work something out....

Have I mentioned how proud I am of you?