Family Fun

During the work week, I look forward to the weekends with so much expectation. I try to think up new family outings and destinations. I imagine all of us huddled in the living room pig-piling each other and laughing together. I picture pleasant family meals around the dinner table followed by last-call trips to the park before we all snuggle in for bed.

Then the weekend comes. And my weekend fantasies turn into this:

Jacob having a tantrum because we won't let him have popsicles for breakfast. Ryan screaming because he didn't sleep through the night, AGAIN. My husband stuck in the basement or garage fixing something that broke. Me standing in the middle of a laundry strewn room, yelling at Jacob, and pulling my hair out. By Sunday evening, we are all exhausted, wondering what happened to that family outing we had wanted to take and where the heck did our weekend go?!

But...sometimes...the cards line up just right and the weekends turn out pretty darn good.

Today is a good example.

After being up with Ryan four different times during the night, Ryan and I woke up at 9 a.m. Jacob heard we were up and snuck into bed with us. The three of us hung out in bed, laughing, chatting, and tackling each other.

Then, we all packed a day bag and headed out to visit friends. Ryan had his first ferry boat ride and made googley eyes at all the women around him. Over his father's protests, Jacob got down on his hands and knees and zoomed his toy cars all over the floor. We walked outside to the bow of the boat and let the fresh Puget Sound air try to knock us over. We finished up the ride by people watching.

An hour later we arrived at our friends' house. They have a pool. In their backyard! I think that blew Jacob's mind.

Jacob splashed in the pool for the better part of the day with the men while the ladies watched from our dry, warm seats. Jacob can't swim yet but he did great job in the pool with his monkey floaty. That's the best $2.50 I ever spent.

Ryan talked up a storm, ate some sweet potatoes (managing to actually get some of them in his mouth- I'm still cleaning the stuff out of his neck rolls) and won the Guiness Book of World Records for most smiles in one day. We have a great group of friends. Most of them don't have kids yet but they are so tolerant when we crash their parties with OUR kids. Jacob loves that the guys treat him like one of them.

At one point in the day, I was bouncing Ryan on my lap when I realized Jacob was being too quiet. Wanting to make sure he was still at the SURFACE of the water, I glanced over my shoulder. I saw him standing dead-still on the pool steps making a weird face. I knew that face. I knew EXACTLY what he was up to.

"Jacob! Are you peeing in the pool?"

"NO!"

"Jacob, are you peeing in the pool!!!"

"NOOOO!"

"JACOB. Tell me! Are you peeing in the pool?"

"Yes."

Sigh.

We sure know how to wear out our welcome.