Something Odd

Something odd has been happening as our kids have grown.

I see J now. Not just occasionally, but multiple times per day. And when I see her, it's often alone. The kids will be awake and in the house, but not clamoring outright for one/both of us to pay attention. Even more strangely, we will have both slept through the previous night.

It's been about eight years since we've had these sorts of interactions, so it feels unfamiliar.

The kids still interrupt regularly. (If not directly than with some sort of smashing/spilling/breaking noise from upstairs that needs to be checked on). And Felix regularly wails out in the middle of the night that "DADDEEEE....I NEE'A WOKINNAWOKKY-CHAIR!" (I need a rock in the rocking-chair)

But there is still no doubt that we are gradually seeing more of each other, and that we are more awake than we have been in several years. Here are some of the nice things that you can do with your spouse.

-Read in bed before falling asleep
-Chat in the kitchen while working on making dinner together
-Pick up all the pillows and blankets on the floor and put them back onto the furniture where they are supposed to go, and then sit on the actual furniture
-Play duets
-Have cup of coffee in the sunbeam that comes in through the front window

The really luxurious thing about all of this is that it works while still also doing the things that need to be taken care of, but have to be done alone. (Trading runs on the treadmill, practicing, answering work emails, etc.)

The downside to leaving the kids to their own devices upstairs is that a lot of stuff gets broken. I was at Lowe's a few days ago with a full cart, and as I rang up each item I realized that my entire basket was replacements of things that Owen had broken over the previous month. (One 35" mini-blind--kicking, one 28" mini-blind--climbing, one shower slip bar--climbing and hanging, one custom reading light bulb--yanking and throwing, etc...)

At this point I'm inclined to sacrifice the mini-blinds for my wife's company.