Monday ~ April 13, 2015.
The ever so faithful Monday came with the promise of warm weather. This makes it easier to climb out of bed before the sun. For some reason the kids all sleep in on the day that we need to get up and moving. It is Curtis' first day back at work at his unit. He has been away for three months and then took a week of leave to settle back in. It always takes a bit for us all to get used to living together again.
I tiptoe down the stairs with wishful thinking I can get Rhys ready for school and see Curtis off for the day without waking them. It's pretty rare they sleep past 6. I get my tea ready. Im pretty useless without my first tea in the morning. A little grumpy. It's my cup full of sunshine that helps me get through the wee hours of the morning.
Rhys is also a bear in the morning, I wish I could say he didn't get that from me. I rub his back, he rolls over, pretends not to hear me, grumbles something. Great, he's in teenage mode this morning. I rub his back again. Trying my gentler methods of waking him before I resort to poking him and whipping open his curtains... Most often it ends that way anyways. This boy loves his sleep. Once he is up, and I know he isn't going to fall back asleep as I walk out the door we argue for the next few minutes whether or not he needs a shower. He really does. But is going through his smelly stage and doesn't want to take one. Boys are gross, what can I say. I win and he jumps in while I head back downstairs to start making breakfast.
Coming down the stairs I notice that grumpy bear #2 is now awake. Sitting on the sofa waiting for his warm milk. Curtis is up rummaging through the kitchen getting his lunch packed and breakfast done. Tristan waits patiently while watching some Daniel Tiger. I fetch some breakfast which is Alphabits and fruit on the side this morning. We don't have cereal every morning but I am feeling a little lazy and this Monday is a cereal
Kind of morning.
Rhys heads downstairs smelling like Old Spice. He sits at the table and waits for his breakfast. We don't usually all eat together week days mornings. Rhys needs to catch his bus at 7 am so I get him all ready, fed and out the door and then the three little ones and I go at our own pace. This is a little different on Tuesday and Thursday mornings since Tristan goes to nursery school.
I still miss him when he goes to school. I have never been eager to have them spend so many hours away. But this is the way it is.
I can hear a faint cry from the monitor. And a little sweet echo calling "mommmmy" from upstairs. I go upstairs to get them. I fetch Madeline from her crib before helping Olliver down from the bunk bed as she was getting upset waiting. As I get Olliver down I notice he is all wet. He has leaked through his pull up. Frustrated I wonder to myself, will he ever be completely toilet trained?? Madeline looks at books as I help him get undressed and pop him into the shower. Tristan comes upstairs to see what we are doing and Curtis calls up to let me know he is leaving. A quick kiss goodbye and we go about our morning.
Olliver gets all rinsed off and insists on going back in pajamas. That's okay since we have no where to be this morning. And we all head downstairs. While I add milk to their cereal and put fruit in their bowls they watch a few more minutes of cartoons. Usually something on PBS. I turn the tv off once we have breakfast for the morning. Usually only turning it on again for transition times or when I make meals.
We sit down together, I sip my tea and Madeline tries to share her Cheerios with us. We talk about our plans for the day. Lots of suggestions, going to the beach, to the park, getting our sand toys out, and so on. We still have quiet a bit of snow so bubbles and tricycles out front is what we settle on.
We loose ourselves in the sunshine since this is the first time we have been able to enjoy the spring like weather. Bikes and bubbles in how April is supposed to look.
After an hour and a half we head inside to get lunch ready and I need to tidy and clean the bathrooms. Madeline is tugging on her ear which usually means nap time is quickly approaching. We are trying to skip the morning nap and just do a longer afternoon nap but she keeps falling asleep.
The boys head to the play room downstairs and I attempt to tidy up their morning messes.
Leaving a pile of splash pants and rubber boots in the door way.
Madeline slept for 10 minutes at the most before she woke up again. I will try again later. I aim to get all three down at once in the afternoon.
Lunch needs to be made by noon since
Rhys is home the lunch hour.
A little time in the afternoon to myself. I usually have a tea and read and then get supper prepped. Having what I can do early done makes the evenings run a little smoother. I'm used to being on my own during the witching hour so I do whatever I can. I need the silence to refresh so I usually turn off the tv and music. Silence is hard to come by in a home of 6 people so I don't waste it when it is possible.
The curtains blowing from the wind, my tea is still hot. The house quiet for a few moments. It's perfect.
Little do I know a half hour later I hear a
Sweet baby girl chatting to herself upstairs. I listen for a little while with hope that she lays back down. A half hour is not long enough. She isn't going back
down. I tiptoe across the creaky floor of this old townhouse and quiet Madeline as we come back down.
She looks wide awake. Clutching her blanket (which we lovingly call stinky blanket) while I change her.
Madeline is quiet. She explores quietly. Plays with her toys. We read books and cuddle while her brothers sleep. I probably should be thankful and 3 and 4 they still need their quiet time.
Supper simmers on the stove. African peanut stew is in the menu tonight. The smell of curry carrying through the house. I couldn't stand it in university as I walked through my apartments hallways. Now I don't mind it, probably because it won't always smell that way.
Tristan is quietly sneaks down the stairs. Asking to watch a show. I put Disney Junior on and Olliver calls shortly after that.
They watch me pack up our winter clothes. I am keeping some light hats and mitts out for chilly mornings. I know we have a few more of those before wear done with winter. Generally once we hit May we are safe.
Always excited to see Daddy come home. It was so sweet to see Madeline peeking out the window. She isn't walking yet. A happy crawler and we are not rushing or pushing it. The boys were walking by 10 months. It's nice to slow it down.
We sit down together for supper, talk about our day. What are favorites are. I take the little ones up for a bath. Curtis cleans up after supper and Rhys starts on his homework.
Bedtime nears and there are tears over silly things. We tidy their rooms and start bedtime routine. I rock Maddy and tuck her in. And then read with Olliver on his bunk bed.
Tristan and Rhys snuggle up with Daddy while he reads Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, with voices of course.
By 8:30 all four and snug in bed. We have the rest of the night to ourselves. I called my Mum and chatted. Curtis played on the computer and now settle into bed to watch Netflix.
It's been a long and good day. Hope yours has been wonderful too!
Xoxo.
His expression, priceless! 
This guy, so handsome. 
