3 Days From Crazy

The comedian Tom Papa has a bit where he explains how in his youth he couldn't understand how people became crazy. Now an adult, specifically a married with kids adult, he totally understands. Everyone is just three quick days away from crazy. "Lose your job. Lose your partner. All it takes after that is spilling coffee and the next thing you know you're outside in a open bathrobe wearing goggles collecting plastic bottles. For your spaceship."

I think about this and laugh, especially in the face of the last 4 days. If I were to document everything that went ary, that didn't work out, that totally surprised me, I'd be fetching my bathrobe off the back of the bathroom door.

And while most of the events of the last four days I litterally cannot write about, I'll note that vasoline and a pink fork were the tipping point of today's adventures, not to be outdone by yesterday's marathon 4 hours of driving, or the previous night, where I learned to read Roland's stomach by watching him sleep and what's a weekend without a little food poisoning. The list could go on, and it would be some fun stories, but I'd rather hang back up the bathrobe and focus on a couple moments I'll likely forget by next week that I'd rather not. Like our two and a half hour visit to Publix just me and the kids Saturday night, and seeing Aria and Calen, tucked into his couch, each holding a baby doll watching Tangled.

Aria has great comedic timing, just like her Dad. Roland has zero sense of humor, just like me, poor kid, but Aria? She knows when to make a silly face, just how to make you laugh and just the right moment to get you. She get's it. And it's hilarious. She has this surprise face that is just too funny - and she loves to catch me watching her in the rear view mirror and make it at me.

Roland is so literal, and I forget that, until something hilarious happens: like plane toast and Brian offering to chop of his dirty toes. I know this is a fleeting time of trust and amazing time of absorbing and compartmentalizing the world he knows, so I'm always ready to answer his questions. And the next. And the next. And OK, about twenty more until I request, "let's take a radio break!" and mentally catch my breath. You can't just say, "No, we're not eating out tonight." and answer the "Why not?" question with something as stupid as, "We are trying to save money." You've just taken the door of the hinges for a million other questions.

Aria is potty training, and she's so proud. Just like her brother we are working on the distinction between tooting on the toilette and actually going pee. She loves to cheer, "I tooted!" I really appreciate Roland sitting on the bathroom counter with me last night, cheering for Aria when she went pee in the potty. And he stopped her from falling in and put the potty seat down for her. Ok, in our world, that's on par with miracles. Normally it's a fighting match over who gets to pee first.

Roland is bathing himself in the shower and learning to tell time - both pretty cool 4-year-old stuff. Aria is learning to count and recite the alphabet, and both are learning - I guess forever - to not hit each other. Can't say I put too much stock in it - if provoked I'll easily punch a shoulder of one of my sibs, and they'll gladly return the favor.

Tonight, they insisted on curling up side-by-side to watch a few minutes of Backyardigans. Watching little wet-headed pajama-clad toddlers mashed into the pillows on our bed, the blanked pulled neatly to their chins, I resisted the urge to snap a thousand photos. Who knows how much longer they'll want to be that close. And, as Aria moved her pillow and blankets beside Roland in the bunk bed, I didn't fight it. They're two and four, and believe it or not, they sleep just fine like that. But don't be concerned, Roland asked me tonight if I could save up some money and buy him a mattress for the top bunk.

Soon I'll forget about all the random moments that left me speechless, because new ones will happen tomorrow. Promise. Hopefully, through photos and this blog I'll recount the ones that I hope to remember. Like making pizza with the kids and hanging Halloween decorations.

(Tomorrow's memory-making? One of our favorites: Live on the Green. The weather is going to be great, let me know if you are planning to be there - we'll be to the right of the stage hopefully - near the kids tent and would love to see you!)