Friday mornings are always rushed making sure the house is spotless, taking Jackson to preschool, then meeting the SLP in the driveway for speech. This week the social worker joined us for her monthly check. We played informally, made pumpkin muffins, then painted. The social worker stayed 45 minutes after the SLP left to discuss her concerns. She shared her observations on things that need improvement. I was relieved I wasn't the only one who felt that way. Hopefully, after she contacts the SLP, our next session will reflect a few changes (more direction, conclusion with a specific action plan, treating the children as unique individuals).
Friday afternoon we met our favorite friends for a playdate. We rarely go anywhere after I pick Jackson up because it pushes the trio's naptime back so much. Last year when the trio took two naps a day and most of Jackson's friends were in preschool, we went on playdates multiple times a week. Now that many of Jackson's friends are in kindergarten and the trio only take one nap, we've missed out on frequent socialization. I miss hanging out with my mom friends during the week and watching our kids play together.
Friday evening the six of us drove to have dinner at Jesse's parents' house and drop Jackson off. Jack and his cousin had big plans with MiMi and PaPa that included a sleepover and hiking trip.
While Jackson spent the day with his grandparents, Jesse and I took James, Amelia, and Maddie to an open house at a fire station. It rained all day, but that didn't deter the firefighters from hosting an excellent gathering. When we arrived, we were greeted by a burning car. They had set a car on fire and were letting people take turns using a fire extinguisher.
There was a very generous spread of food and freebies available. We enjoyed our unexpected lunch, coloring books, water bottles, etc. One of the firemen dressed up in full gear and asked the children to give him a hug or high five. Apparently one of the biggest problems or fears firefighters have are not being able to find a frightened child that is hiding in a burning building. While the act was well intentioned, it did nothing to alleviate the girls' fears. Maddie was on the ground approaching the fireman, when he suddenly started crawling rapidly towards her. This sent her into hysterics.
We quickly left the presentation and allowed the toddlers to explore inside the firetrucks. Amelia and James were excited about this opportunity.
Maddie was still recovering from the earlier trauma. She chose to remain in the safety of the wagon.
Amelia had her face painted for the first time.
As we were leaving, we watched the firemen literally disassemble a car using the jaws of life. I had a large umbrella to cover the wagon. We all huddled underneath and watched the car be cut into pieces.
Once home, the trio napped while Jesse relaxed and I grocery shopped. Jesse's parents offered to watch the kids so Jesse and I could go out for our upcoming anniversary. After spending the last 24 hours with Jackson and his cousin, I wanted to at least make sure they didn't have to bother with bringing dinner or cleaning up.
While our family was eating lasagna and cake, Jesse and I binged on Mexican deliciousness.
For our date night, I always tell Jesse I want to do something that we can't do with the kids. That normally involves either going for drinks or watching a movie. I was a bit surprised when Jesse texted me saying he bought a Groupon for the Haunted Mill. Though brief, we had a lot of fun in the over the top haunted trail. I'm so glad it was indoors since it was still pouring rain. I felt like I was in college, clinging to Jesse's side as he led the way through the rooms.
I skipped all church activities so we could go to the Renaissance Festival on Sunday. That will be a separate blog post. It was crowded, busy, and fun. Our whole weekend was filled with busy family outings. I'm going to try and have a low-key week since we've been on the go so much this past week and we'll be at the beach next weekend. Wish me luck.
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