Adventures in Fatherhood

So yesterday I had President's Day off and had the kids with me all day. This can still be a little unnerving to me since I'm not too used to it, but we usually have fun. Our plans were pretty limited. We were going to visit Great-grandma while she played the piano at the Georgetown Hospital, and then we had to stop by Academy to exchange some things for Tiff. And do this by lunch to meet Tiff at home.

Asher woke up around 7:15 just after Tiff left and Aidan slept in until 8:30 which is great for him. They were both in good spirits and ate their breakfasts well. If anything breakfast has always been the one meal that they will eat.

We got to the hospital a little later than I wanted to and Aidan was playing shy. Aidan and I sat in a chair with Asher in the stroller near the piano. Great-grandma was happy to see them and played Aidan's favorite "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" when we got there. It took him a little while but he finally moved over to the piano and would hit a key here and there while Great-grandma was playing. Asher snacked on some raisins that I brought. She was more interested in the food then the music. We were there for about 45 minutes until the natives started getting restless.

We got through Academy fine and got Tiff her swimsuit and goggles for the triathlon that she is doing in June. She will be sooooo excited that I brought this up. We got home before Tiff, and I started to get lunch ready while the kids played. We all ate together and then Tiff had to go back to work. I laid Asher down for her nap, she has not been going to sleep well for the last 2 weeks. Aidan and I read a book and then started to dose on our bed. He eventually gave me that 'I want to go get into my bed' look. So we got up and tried to sneak into his room with Asher sleeping. She was asleep but as I tucked him in she woke up and was ready to go. There was no convincing her it was nap time. I laid her down and left the room. Well she proceeded to talk and play and jump around in her crib. And when she got tired of that she decided to hit the walls. So she would bang! bang! on one wall then bang! bang! on her crib and then bang! bang! on the other wall. It was so hard that I thought some pictures in the hall might fall off the wall. So I went in there to talk to her, and poor Aidan was laying there with a 'I'm tired and I can't get to sleep because my sister is going bonkers' look. I again laid Asher down and left the room.

Since I couldn't do anything else I decided to move along with my plans for the day. I wanted to get some fertilizer down and check the lawn sprinklers while the kids were 'napping.' I got all that done and was finishing up in the backyard when I heard Aidan screaming through the window in his room. I rushed inside, ran up the stairs, and into his room to find Aidan screaming (and I mean screaming) "MY BLANKETS BROKEN!!!!" He was sitting there with his comforter blanket in his hands that had come un-tucked from the end of the bed. For whatever reason he thought that it was broken. And with all the screaming I look over at Asher and she is fast asleep. Not even stirring while her brother screams at the top of his lungs. Remember I could hear Aidan from the backyard!

Well needless to say Aidan was done with his nap so he came down stairs with me and got to watch a little TV before Tiff got home. I had to wake Asher up so she didn't sleep too late. Maybe if she had gone to sleep when she was supposed to it wouldn't have been an issue. The rest of the evening was pretty normal; dinner, bath, bedtime.

Today was funny though. Tiff had left for her first triathlon class, again did I mention she is doing a triathlon in June, and I was with the kids until Grandma got there then I would leave to go to small group. I was talking to Aidan reminding him that tomorrow was Tiff's birthday. His response was "And I don't have to go to school." I explained to him that Tiff and I had to go to work and he and Asher had to go the school. Fast forward to when I get home that night and go up and say good night to him, and he asks me "but if we got to school how can we have mommy's birthday?" So I gave him the schedule; when we wake up we tell her 'Happy Birthday,' and we sing to her. "And give her spankings!" adds Aidan. The smile was a little too big when he said that. Then we had to go to school where I would pick him up to go to the store so he could pick out her birthday gift (yes on her birthday - sue me). Finally we would have Mommy's birthday. With a smile and satisfaction in the plan he settled down for bed.

Spending these times with the kids are moments that I cherish since I know a day will come (just like me to my parents - teenagers oih!) when they don't want anything to do with me. Until then I will be fixing broken blankets and holding mommy while Aidan gives her her birthday spankings.