Visiting

I'm over at my sister's house this week. She's in the hospital, so I get to hang out with her kids...eat ice cream...read books...be super lazy.(Just rubbing it in, Becky!) It's a lot like what I do at home, but with more poopy diapers in between (not mine - babies, folks!).

Cozy came with me (since I'm still her beverage source), and Becky's kids have been extremely sweet with her. Sadly, the drive-way here has not been so kind. She's biffed it on the concrete two days in a row - on the face both times!

Taking care of a baby and 2 toddlers (one of whom believes she is still a baby - only a climbing, cat-chasing baby) requires a lot of skill sets, but I firmly believe that one of the most important skills a parent can have is "ignoring". Not ignoring your kids! Ignoring their whining, fidgeting, ignoring car-crying that you can't do anything about, and sometimes even ignoring singing. Of course it has to be used judiciously.

Today I was using my awesomely developed ignoring skillz on the way home from Costco. Cozy and Natalie were mad about STILL being in the car. Abby and Conner were hungry. I was happily thinking about the houses we were driving by...wondering which ones could be improved and which ones should be torn down...wondering what the neighbors are like over there...wondering why that sign says Arlington? Oops! Missed my turn about 15 minutes ago!

My punishment: more time in the car with cranky kids.
Poor kids. Of course, if they had been quieter, I wouldn't have had to go to "my happy place" at all.