Do you do "highs" and "lows" at your house? I read about it in a book once. Everyone goes around the dinner table and says what their best moment of the day was (their "high") and talks also about a moment that was difficult or challenging in some way (their "low"). You don't have to use the words high and low, I suppose. I think the point is just to have a real moment of sharing, to ritualize it in some way. When the kids are old enough I'm going to see if they want to do this with me.
My high for the day was crawling into bed with Addie tonight to read her books. She has a big old queen-sized sleigh bed, with flannel sheets and a big cozy comforter. We read books together, and then I turn out the lights and we just lay down for a while. I used to have to go through a whole rigamarole of telling her a story and singing her a certain number of songs and talking about her day. But she's outgrown that whole routine now, and so we just lay together and I let her ask whatever questions are on her mind or say whatever she feels like saying.
Tonight she asked me where color comes from. I had a moment of panic because I had no idea what to say. Even the most basic questions--if tinged with "science"--make me totally blank out (isn't it perfect I teach at a science/engineering university?). But I recovered and said, "light." Which is sort of right, isn't it? Anyway, it worked. We cuddled for a while, and then I kissed her and said I would leave soon so that she could go to sleep.
"Mama, when you're tired, just take one hand and stroke your hair like this. Just stroke it."
"Is that what you do at naptime at school?" I asked.
"Yes." She said. "But only stroke it with one hand."
Please, no dirty jokes, you filthmongers.
I didn't have much of a "low" today, which was great. Oh, I suppose having to get up five times for crying kids last night was a low, but I was barely conscious, so I'm not sure it counts. Mostly, it was a lovely day. And that's about the most you can ask from a Monday.
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