Perfect Bed Time

I sat upstairs in the hallway, waiting for the others to come back up. Ryder hid behind me, pressing his warm body against mine. "Where did Ryder go?" I pretended concern.

He slowly crept from behind my back, his eyes twinkling, the corners of his smile showing from behind his green pacifier. He went back again putting his arms around me. "Oh no..." I said again.

Lucas made it back upstairs first, bringing Ryder his milk. He placed the sippy cup on Ryder's head. "Look it's staying!" Lucas squealed as the cup quickly toppled off Ryder's head.

Ryder picked it up and moved his pacifier to his hand and began drinking his milk. "Now Carmel is staying!" Lucas said balancing his favorite stuffed dog on Ryder's head.

"All right everyone time for prayers." Eric said when everyone made it back up.

"I will sit here, come here Ryder" Lucas said sitting in his truck chair- the same chair he had had since he was younger than Ryder. The chair was now covered with a bright orange fabric with excavators and diggers, the original blue truck cover long worn out with a hole where his legs rubbed against the fabric.

I smiled at the moment, suddenly realizing that before I knew it my two boys would be much to old to sit on a chair together. I need to enjoy this, I said to myself.

We finally got everyone to settle down and said prayers. It was Alex's turn to say the prayer. She began;
"Dear Heavenly Father. Thank thee for this day and help--' are you going anywhere tonight?'" Alex whispered to Eric interpreting her own prayer. "No" Eric whispered back. 'and help that daddy will travel to work safely tomorrow...."

Yes, I do need to enjoy this.My boys relaxing on my bed- and please ignore my ugly quilt- I am trying to find something I love to replace it

The Culd-du-sac

I rolled down the window and turned the radio up, anxiously waiting for my chance to win $1000. I knew it was long shot, but hey, if I didn't try I wouldn't win.

Ryder darted into the garage and retrieved his soccer ball. He stretched, lifting it high above his head and with all his might threw it right to me.

I stopped the ball and kicked it back. This game continued for several minutes. ' Kick it back' I encouraged. I stopped the ball, kicked it to Ryder and he swung his little toddler leg back and kicked it perfectly right to me.

The announcement came on the radio station- I quickly hit dial, already having the number programed in. Busy signal. Darn, I tried again. Nothing. I tried until the announcement came on saying a winner was picked. Maybe next time.

"Car, car" Ryder said pointing to the Little Tykes car.

I got it down for him and he climbed in. I pushed from the top as his little feet "walked" barely touching the ground. He wouldn't go anywhere on his own the way he was walking but his feet moving kept his feet from acting like natural breaks.I pushed him around our culd-du-sac. "Doggies" he said and pointed at our neighbors dogs who were now greeting us rather loudly. It didn't phase Ryder and he just stayed pointing and grunting occasionally.He then tired of the dogs and climbed back into his car. We cut across the culd-du-sac rolling over the manhole cover. He put his feet down, forcing the car to break, got out and excited pointed at the cover.

"W" he said pointing at the W in "sewer". "Good job,W!" I praised. "R" he then said.

He then climbed back in the car, this time making it across to where our house number was painted on the curb. He climbed out pointing at each number again and again wanting me to repeat the numbers. A bug then crawled in his line of vision. "Bug! Bug" he said through his pacifier filled mouth.He watched the bug for several minutes then was back in his car, little feet quickly dancing along the ground.

I smiled up at the blue sky. This was a good day.