Hustle&Bustle

With the Hustle&Bustle of the Holiday Season, I feel like I am struggling to keep track of things. Important things. Things my kids are doing each and every day. Things that make me smile, laugh, and that warm my heart so much I cry. Things as simple as they are grand. And that's the magic of our children.

This morning I was going to the other room and Mackenzie said, 'I going to miss you.' She is prone to be somewhat sarcastic at times, but this time it was sincere, which made it cuter. Maybe not cuter, because her sarcasm can be pretty cute too. But it was pretty doggone cute! And, it melted my heart.

Zachary woke up exceptionally happy this morning. Seeing him first thing after he woke up so happy, made me smile. He slept until about 7:30 am, after falling to sleep in the car on the way home probably about 7:30 pm last night. Twelve hours *done* him good! But, he didn't nap. Same thing as Wednesday. He was tired, just would not go down to nap. In bed tonight sound asleep at 6:24 pm. That's a tired boy.

Today I went and did hopefully the last of the last minute shopping stuff. When I got home from shopping, the kids were playing in the front yard. Mackenzie was dressed in some sort of flared sweatpants, a tight top and had a headband around her forehead. She looked a bit 80's. Turns out she was playing 'baby' and somehow this 'get-up' worked for her 'baby game.' Zachy was riding around on a toy, happy as can be. He is a pretty easy going little guy. Both greeted me enthusiastically, which is always a nice homecoming.

This afternoon I was putting together some candy gift bags to have on hand. Zachy caught on to what I was doing and started to be my little HelperTotElf. Putting candy in each bag one by one. Mackenzie joined in as well. So, I had not one, but Two HelperTotElves! Lucky Me! They got a bit of chocolate during their 'shift.' I learned two things: 1. Zachy definitely knows the sign for 'more;' and 2. Sugar DOES = Hyper. I had two wound up HelperTotElves this afternoon for sure.

Zachy was a pretty funny little guy tonight. At one point he walked away and went behind the pack n play. He bent down and I could see him peaking at me through the mesh part. He had that silly grin on his face I love so much. Earlier in the evening he was playing in the playroom and got a play plate and fork and pretended to eat. He tried to feed me too. Sharing his air. What a most generous Sweetpea!

After he went to bed, Mackenzie got some undivided attention. A definite rarity around here. She ate it up. First we read a Halloween story - her choice. We started the Little Engine That Could, but, by gosh, that's a long book! She cut reading time short and decided to perform songs for us. I forgot to mention that she was wearing a bathing suit. Of course she was. It's winter. She got out her play microphone and started singing the classics. Old MacDonald Had a Farm. Shake the Sillies Out. All her Greatest Hits. The best part was that she was really working her 'crowd.' Walking while singing and bringing us stuff. And then, at the end of her 'last' song, she started to sing louder and started to use runs - E....I...E....I....Oh-o-o-OHHHHHH! Then she said, 'Thank You all for coming!'

That was our day. Parts of it anyways. Tonight after I got Zachy to sleep, I could not help but hold him for just a few minutes before putting him in the crib so I could look at that ever-so-sweet-face. After Mackenzie's undivided attention time, I laid down with her for a bit. When I tried to get up, the first time, she said, 'Mo-om. I told you I needed you.' I stayed a few minutes longer, knowing that someday I will miss hearing those words.