Our Memorial Day Weekend

We have been quite busy lately! Last Friday evening my cousin, Kim, flew in from Boston. She has three daughters ages 6 and under and her husband graciously agreed to hold down the fort so she could come help me out for a weekend. The boys really ate up all the attention she showered them with and we enjoyed catching up too.

As a child I used to go spend time with her family when we visited Massachusetts and my Mom's family in the summers. It was always something I looked forward to. Now, years later, we have lived in some of the same areas of the country but unfortunately at different times.

Saturday we took the kids to a nearby park and they enjoyed exerting some energy before lunch and nap time. That evening we went out to Fudruckers (one of Benjamin's favorite restaurants these days) then out for ice cream at Maggie Moos. Kim spoiled me by doing load after load of laundry for me and helping me sort through some of the kids clothes, etc.

Sunday came before we knew it and we were off to church then stopped for lunch at California Tortilla on the way to the airport. Benjamin was really sad to see her go (as was I, of course). But it hit him much harder than I could have imagined. That night as we got ready for bed I asked him if he missed cousin Kim and he sad he did and that she didn't read him books that morning as we had planned the night before (kids remember everything!). So, we called Kim and family Sunday night and boy did he light up. He was excited to hear her voice and to talk to all three of her girls. It was really cute to hear them on the phone together. And Kim said that her girls were asking for every detail about her visit here. So, she told them how Samuel likes to eat bananas in the peel and if you take them out of the peel he won't eat them and how Benjamin dumped a cup of water over Samuel's head in the bathtub. So, the girls asked Benjamin "Why did you dump water over your brother's head?" Of course, this is common occurrence at our house so it didn't phase him and he didn't know what they were talking about!

Don called Sunday morning and it was great to talk to him. Benjamin talked to him briefly and Samuel even got some phone time too (which mostly consists of trying to press the buttons on the phone and breathing heavily into the phone while Daddy talks to him).

Monday the boys slept in! Samuel almost til 7 a.m. and Benjamin almost slept until 8 a.m.! I couldn't believe it. Unfortunately, the clock strikes 6 a.m. and my internal clock alerts me. ugh. Monday afternoon we headed up to the kiddie pool with our neighbor, Katie. Benjamin didn't nap and was trying my patience the entire time but overall the kids had fun in the water and then Samuel came home and took another nap.

Today was a rather productive day. Samuel had a good morning nap then we were off to the library for story time! They both enjoyed it and we checked out some great new books from the library. Always a highlight at our house.

I had a book called "My Daddy's in Iraq but I Want Him Back" put on hold for us and we read it twice already. It's a great book. I cried both times. But it stimulated a lot of conversation and I'm glad we checked it out. I think every 3 year old with a deployed parent should have a copy. The book is written from a 3 year old boys perspective of his Daddy being in Iraq, from the time he left until he returned. I think it gives a renewed hope that this deployment will end and that life will return to normal for my lil guy someday (in less than 5 months actually!).

Tonight my helper came by and I managed to get some more things done then we took the boys outside for some playtime before I took her home. Next week I think we'll attempt taking them to the pool when she's here (provided the weather cooperates).