Today: Simple as That

Today – Simple as That.

Sami slept in until 7:20 this morning. And it was Michael’s turn to sleep in, since he had been up late after getting home from work last night at 10 but then still having to write up a report. So Sami and I let Daddy sleep in, and she played while I worked at my computer, ‘cause it is a work-from-home day.

When Michael woke up, we all went downstairs for a quick breakfast – Sami was served toast, sliced grapes, and some cheese. What she ate was the cheese and the grapes, and she used the toast for launching. Michael endured a lecture about the gravity of maintaining consistent discipline messages for Sami on his days with her, while I unloaded the dishwasher and observed her diving her little mitts right into the silverware holder—regardless of sharp knives. I had her taught this no-no when I last left her on Tuesday. But 3 days of Daddy’s leniency (“…well, it was so cute when she handed me a fork to put away…”) and she was right back at it.

Sami spent the rest of the morning monitoring Daddy’s preparation to go to work, and my progress at the computer, in between bouts of playing. Around 11, she laid down for a nap, and didn’t wake up until after 1. We had lunch together (turkey, cauliflower, green beans, orange slices, cheese and milk for Sami; again, the oranges and cheese were big favorites for eating, the remainder for tossing apparently). Then back to work for me, and back to play for her. Around 2:45 or so, she was getting overly frustrated with a couple of uncooperative toys, and so I made her a bottle and laid her down in her crib to drink it, and didn’t hear another peep out of her until 5:15!

I mean, seriously, I know parents that I talk to either don’t believe me when I tell them how much and how easily she sleeps, or they do believe me and hate me. I’m claiming no acumen on this matter – I just got the lucky draw baby. I know that. But geesh, that means really she’s only awake about 8 hours a day. And during that time, she’s so self-entertained with a few toys and books... I can’t complain.

So anyway, I knock off working around 5-ish, and wait for Sami to wake up from her nap, and when she does, we both get dressed in something decent for the public to view, should we run into any public, and we head out in the stroller to get the mail and visit our neighborhood park. First we swing, then I let Sami down to freeform… and she heads straight for the gym equipment. There, we meet a little boy named Alex who is six, and much to my delight, another old mom. We ended up chatting at length, and Suzanne just moved here from Missouri 6 months ago, and marvels at the neighborhood. How everyone seems to have the same “values” and the beautiful parks, and houses, etc. And once again I am sheepishly grateful that we pulled off getting to live here. We are SO the neighborhood riff-raff. Evidenced by the conversation with this woman who eventually reveals that they live “just off Crescent Park.” Which, to the uninitiated means that she is filthy rich – those homes are multi-million dollar homes. She eventually mentions (in a legitimate scenario regarding how much children need to sleep because their brains are “wiring”) that her husband is a neurologist. ‘Nuff said. Anyway, she was very nice, and we just kind of clicked, talking about being older moms, and how both our husbands were 50 when their children were born.

At one point she asked me if I was going to send Sami to preschool, or straight to kindergarten. I admitted that that is precisely the type of thing that keeps me awake at night. I don’t know this stuff. I have no idea what I’m doing. I don’t even understand the implications of my choices, for Pete’s sake.

If you had asked me when I found out I was pregnant and going to have this child, I would have been certain I would be a limp-along, inept parent. But so far, every stage that has come along has been pretty self-explanatory, and I feel like I might be doing okay. So I try not to sweat the stuff about the future.

Then I get her ominous cautionary prediction that I’d better decide soon if Denver is anything like Columbia, Missouri where she lived for so many years… that if I decide on preschool, the waiting list is years long. Great. Just what I need. Now I have something to worry about again when I wake up at 4am.

Anyway, it is difficult for me to explain – this day was so very routine in its timing, and tasks, and duties. And yet, so wildly enjoyable. Sami was a dream – happy and self-occupied, and napping right on cue, then going to bed like a sweet, sweet angel, after her bath and a book. My life is full of days like this, so full of routines, which to me – the word routine used to be reprehensible. And yet I love it so much, and enjoy it so very much. And am so full of gratitude and wonder that I get to have this life, and this daughter and this husband. Aren’t I such a sap? But it is true. Now I’m not here to claim I never have frustration or get short-tempered. I do. Big time. But I also, usually within minutes of it, am able to put it aside and realize that I might very well be the most-blessed person I know of.

Anyway, yeah… I sure enjoyed my day.