Can we just stay home?

It’s been a long work and school week. Today, Saturday, I figured we’d be taking the kids somewhere fun, like the aquarium or a museum. So when the cat jumped on my head at dawn, I went downstairs, got myself some coffee, and studied. I’ve got my medicine boards in a month, and I’m cramming; I wanted to get it out of the way before family time.

But when the kids woke up, they didn’t want to go anywhere. Hubby and I threw out ideas: all of the cultural options, and then even, the pizza shop? the donut shop? the wildlife zoo?…. the grocery store?

Babygirl was a grumpy sleepyhead and just wanted to sit in my lap with all of her stuffed animals in her arms. Babyboy never looked up from his legos, and never changed his answer:

“I want to stay here and play. Can we stay home?”

Well, okay then.

Both kids are in school five days a week, and this is their first full week without a snow day or a holiday in ages. Yes, it’s preschool, but it’s actually pretty impressive, the work they do. Babyboy’s on an IEP (Individualized Education Program) in his Special Ed classroom, including speech and occupational therapy. We know they work him, because he’s made such amazing progress. He loves his teachers, he’s engaged; his eye contact, speech, and transitioning are all majorly improved. Potty training, not so much, but hey, we’ll work on that.

Babygirl’s private daycare has a curriculum; at her orientation, I flipped through the colorful spiral-bound tome with wonder. Like, are you kidding me? No. Every day her teachers email us a photographic review of her class activities and projects, usually based around the same educational theme. This week was the five senses. It’s awesome.

These guys deserve days of nothing but play. Typically, if we’re going to be in, I have some activities or crafts planned. Today, nada. My head’s tied up with exam review questions.

So, Hubby decided it was the perfect day to make sauce. Mid-morning, he headed out to the grocery store to buy all the ingredients for his mom’s famous tomato sauce with braciole and meatballs. Braciole is thin meat rolled with a pesto of sorts, tied up and browned then slow-cooked in the sauce until it’s falling apart. The meatballs cook in there too, and that’s where the sauce gets all its flavor. Babyboy helped with the prep, but Hubby and I spent most of the day on this project. That, and taking turns with the kids, playing referee, putting Legos together, reading books, or finding shows on Netflix.

Hubby, Babyboy and I ate meatballs for dinner, all of us at the kitchen counter: Babyboy standing on a chair, Hubby and I leaning with our glasses of wine. Babygirl refused to try any. She has never eaten meat, ever. Nor tomato sauce. Nor pasta, for that matter… She roamed, alternately painting and nibbling chunks of apple and goldfish crackers. We figure, she’s growing and developing normally, so, let her be.

Bathtime/ bedtime was the usual melee. A gazillion books. Can we read one more Dr. Seuss book? Just one more? 

Finally, the kids are asleep. The sauce is done, an amazing tribute to Grandma S’s original recipe. I’m brain-fried, and can’t answer another clinical question.

And that was our Saturday home.