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September 15, 2008
Solo
I've been meaning for a while now to set up some sort of activity that I can do alone with each of the kids. Well, the girls, for now, since Owen gets all the Mommy time a kid could really want. It actually started out that I was going to take Jamie to see a movie, just my big girl and me. At the time, Owen was still eating every couple hours (who are we kidding? he still is!), so I figured I would pump a bottle so Rex wouldn't have to deal with two hours of ear piercing shriekage. Being the cautious sort, I wanted to try pumping a bottle ahead of time to make sure he would take it. I wasn't really worried because somewhere in my head I had decided that since he took a pacifier (unlike the girls) he would easily take a bottle (unlike the girls).
So I tried to give him a bottle. He refused. Rex tried. No deal. Each of the girls gave it a shot. Nada. We tried hungry and satisfied, with me around and without. Granted, this was all in one afternoon, but we did go through all the scenarios. So we gave up on the idea of Jamie and I going out for a little while, and got busy with our summer.
It's months later, and we still haven't managed to see that movie. On the up side, Jamie and I have managed a short outing or two, and Katie and I get more time "alone" together while Owen is sleeping. But still, neither of them really have something that is just theirs.
So last week, Katie tried out a gymnastics class. A real class that she gets to go to on her own, not the Mom and Tot open gym thing we've been to in the past. And she's loving it. I'm not entirely sure what she loves about it, that it's hers, that she does it on her own with me watching, the actual gymnastics, and I don't really care. I'm happy to see her happy.
Last weekend, Jamie and I got to go to a Girl Scouts recruitment fair together (and alone!) where she got to try out some activities and register for Daisy's. I'm not sure she knows exactly what she's getting into; I told her they would likely do crafts and learn skills. She, however, is fully aware that this will be something we do together, just her and I. And I'm hoping that once we get started, she'll love it for that, if nothing else.
I know I will.
Posted by me at September 15, 2008 9:23 PM