It is Thursday and that means it Coop Day. A day where we
pretend we “go to school”. We load up in the car around 8:15 am (if I’m lucky).
We have to drive from Chicago to Oak Park and be there by 9:30am. You see our
coop is a parent run enrichment program. Basically the kids play all day and do
some learning. As they get older that changes a bit but for right now it is
exactly what we need. It is a day to get out of the house and play with other
kids. The downfall is that it is a day where you are always taking care of
kids. There really isn’t much of a break until the very last part of the day.
Today was a bit different because we were preparing for our
open house. The older kids like to show off their talents and decided to do a
“show” for the parents. Although the younger kids weren’t involved too much,
they fed off the energy of the older kids. It was very exhilarating but tiring.
Trying to make sure that all kids are happy and their needs are met (this does
not include my own).
So why do we do it if it becomes tiring? If you could just
experience this energy and harness it, can you imagine its healing power?
Now on top of going to coop until about 2:30pm, we needed to
pick up our car from the shop. The shop is located in countryside which was
close to coop but then another 40 minutes or so from our house.
Jillian was already asleep before we even left the street to
go to the shop. She woke up just as we arrived. It was around pm when we left
the shop to head home. Sebastian then fell asleep in the car on the way home.
Usually we don’t like it when the kids fall asleep during the day. This means
that they won’t want to go to bed at a decent time.
They were tired when we got home but they usually get their
second wind. All of their toys and videos have been waiting for them all day.
They just can’t resist playing some more. This is called the waiting period
until their Daddy comes home. Then a renewed energy emerges and Daddy then
creates excitement. We both knew they weren’t going to bed at their normal time
so we tried to do things to entertain them. By 9pm, I was exhausted. I was sitting
in bed reading with Braedon sitting next to me. We were talking and playing
angry birds together. Every once in a while Jillian would pop in wanting
attention but would ultimately return to her Dad.
I then shut my book and tried to relax a bit. Then Dad
realized that I was trying to go to sleep and then said it was time for the
kids to go to bed as well. He gathered them for their night-time routine and
then they all decided to snuggle up with me in my bed. I got up to do my
routine and then helped get them settled in my bed. Dad turned out the lights
and we said our last good nights and I love yous.
Then Sebastian said, “I don’t want this day to end.” I was
thinking the same thing.
