So the Big Game came and went and had exactly no impact on my life at all. I’m glad folks had a good time and there were no newsworthy incidents. All those militarized security measures did the trick: mischief makers were deterred.
Like most Minnesotans, I’m glad it was cold and snowy while all the Super Bowl fans and revelers were here; they couldn’t wait to get to get back home and we couldn’t wait to wave goodbye! Come again but don’t stay too long!
Here at the house, we were too busy entertaining BoopityBoop to worry about anything going on down town.
On Saturday, which remained very cold and snowy, Tyler and Megan brought Xena and Babalouie over to play. Boopity Boop continue to adore their older cousins. Grandma Punkin and Aunt Katie came over to play, as well, so we had quite a party going on in the living room, where we had the girls and all their toys barricaded. It was really easy to keep the babies contained: as long as someone was in there to play with, they never even tried to leave the room, which was a good thing since the baby gate didn’t really fit in the door. I just placed it there as a visual reminder that all the good stuff was here with us.
I spent most of the weekend sitting on the floor, playing with the babies. One of their favorite games right now is to stand up, giggle for a minute, then launch themselves at whoever is there. Catching them was what I did. It was great fun!
I’d brought my one remaining CD player down and they danced to whatever I put on all weekend.
Boop proved herself to be quite fearless. She discovered the two small footstools I have and wasted no time in climbing upon them, either as a step to get up into even higher furniture or a platform for dancing. More than once, I took my eye off her for a second only to turn back to discover a wobbly pre-toddler standing on a stool, dancing her little heart out.
They have absolutely no concept of gravity.
What strikes me most about these two is that over the course of three days, they exhibited not one cranky moment. Not one!
They must have been hungry because when I fed them they ate like linebackers but up until I put them in their chairs, they showed none of the usual I’m hungry fussiness of a baby. When they get tired, instead of getting weepy, they get hyper silly: climbing all over me and giggling wildly.
We do have a rather elaborate bedtime routine, so by the time I put them into their cribs, they know what’s expected of them: go to sleep.
For the most part, they did.
And they’re good little sleepers! Eleven straight hours at night with two naps during the day that last at least an hour each. On Saturday night, Boopity woke up screaming, which was so unlike her that I figured she must be teething, so I gave her some baby Tylenol, a bottle and a cuddle and put her back to bed. She fell right to sleep but two minutes later, Boop woke up screaming the same scream. Tylenol, bottle, cuddle, bed.
Not another peep until they woke in the morning, happy and singing.
Jay made them scrambled eggs for breakfast. We know Katie gives them eggs.
They made no faces, no objections and didn’t confer with each other, they both just started grabbing eggs by the fistful and dropping them on the floor.
It was the most matter of fact rejection I’ve ever seen from them.
It was also hilarious!
Later, Katie told me that at home, she separates the eggs. The girls only eat the yolks. They didn’t think what Coach had given them was food. They didn’t even try them, which is really strange, when you consider that they’ll shove anything they find on the floor in their mouths.
Saturday afternoon, Babalouie played with the babies while Megan took Xena to see the Greatest Showman. They went to a matinee and had plenty of time to play with us after the show.
Just like the rest of us, Megan liked the movie even better the second time. Xena loved it, as expected. I asked her what was her favorite part and she said “Every part.”
That was the best review of a movie I’ve heard until Tyler said later “That movie just made me so happy!”
Who could ask for more than that?
It was a very fun three days but totally exhausting. The trick, which only works for grandparents, is to not even try to do anything but play with them. For moms and dads, you can do that once in a while but its hard because you’re in charge of their whole lives. You have to go to work, the grocery store, clean house, make meals etc. Us grandparents can just set all that aside for a few days and have fun. Then we need to sleep for 48 hours. And take long, hot showers because sitting on the hardwood floor while near-toddlers jump on us is hard on the brittle old body.
I remember 30 years ago, living in Montana, in the dead of the basketball season, calling my Mom and complaining that Tyler and Katie were being so naughty they were driving me crazy. They were maybe 3 and 5 at the time.
“They’re bored.” My Mom said. “Play with them.”
So I did. I took one whole day off and just chased my kids around the house. We all had a blast and it was good for three weeks of exemplary behavior from both kids.
That was when I realized that if you want your children to be happy, don’t give them stuff; play with them.
It’s that simple. And it’s that difficult. Time is what we think we have the least of and time is all they want.
Good thing they have Grandparents.