Why weekends are great

I love weekends. Who doesn't right? Being with Seren and Sam all weekend fills my heart right back up. During the week, Sam and I are often overwhelmed by work demands, a house that needs an incredible amount of work and the challenges that come with raising a very funny but not yet communicative (and therefore frustrated) little one. But this weekend had just the right balance of everything: friends, family and chores.

Sam and I purchased a 1952 Levittown home. It has become QUITE the source of activity. When we aren't spackling, we are painting. When we aren't painting, we are staining. The term "we" is loosely used. Since Sam is home all week with Seren, I really want to PLAY with her on the weekends. So Sam has had the bulk of the work on his shoulders. But I do my share during nap as well.

Anyway, this weekend we did some of that but we also played as a family! So that was fun! Saturday we went out to breakfast with friends and Seren did her fair share to entertain the entire diner by throwing toys and graham crackers. We then went home to my parents home to 'help' them move all of the furniture our of thier first floor so that they could get the floors re-done. But really, it was an excuse to enjoy the small town, eat well and giggle with my parents. I am continually amazed how much joy children bring to situations. Of course they have melt downs and get tired but I love how Seren is much more of a social butterfly now. Waving to passing cars, greeting strangers. Seren, Grammy and I took a little 'train' through the small town. Mom and I wondered if the little train would make it around the block. Seren smiled and waved to strangers. We had a grand time.

While we were there, we took one of our 'strolls' which consists of Seren slowly walking through neighborhood picking up seeds, stones, twigs. When we got home, Seren put the seeds to her mouth. I instructed, "No, Seren, that is food for the birds." She turns around, gets that look like she is computing the information, and feeds the plastic bird on one of her toys.

How do they put stuff like that together? I love it.

As my aunt put it, kids these age are like little robots. "Must compute information." They just store it all in. Seren found a cap that goes on a specific lotion bottle she has. The cap was in her bedroom, not in the bathroom. She picks it up, grunts, and walks off to the bathroom. She opened up the cabinet, put it back on the lotion and returned to the bedroom.

Sunday we did chores and got together with friends from work. One couple had a 2 year old and a 4 year old. Between the three of them, they were very 'busy'! This whole new phase of our lives- meeting parents, studying others' parenting styles and finding 'friends' with little ones is still new. I hardly know the parents but there I was playing with Jill and 'marching' around the kitchen playing my 'saxophone' which was a spoon! Seren LOVES big kids. They always wear her out but she loves 'talking' with them and watching how they do things.

Another friend at the party was pregnant. She watched the three of them with wide eyes. She kept saying, "I don't think I'm ready." Of course not. But they don't come out doing all of these things! That's the beauty of parenting- you warm up to it. You get to grow into being a parent.

I just really am enjoying this phase of Seren. I like to think I have and will enjoy all of the phases of growing up but this age is just really fun and cute. And her Daddy still makes my heart melt.