The Evolution of Play

Tony and I have had to learn to work more as a team the last year or so. It started when I got pregnant and couldn't do everything I once could, and then the team was put to the test when I went on hospital bedrest for 18 days. Our biggest challange was working together to care for those babies and for ourselves while they were in the NICU and then doing double duty when Jack was home and Harper was not. I think those early days as a team helped us focus on the most important things and leave the minor details behind.

Now that we're working parents of two kids, the team aspect is brought to a different level each night as we try and complete simple tasks. For instance, tonight was my night at the gym, so I had the kids by myself until Tony got home. Then when Tony got home, he had the kids for an hour and 1/2 until I got back from the gym to help him with dinner time.  When I got home, we fed the kids, and then Tony set out to grill us some steaks.

At 7:45 Tony fired up the grill and I was in charge of the kids who were both awake and a little fussy.  These moments are always a roll of the dice because you never know what's going to entertain each child and, chances are, whatever it is won't work long.

I ended up putting both kids in a chair in hopes that I could dance around or make funny faces or read them a book and they would like that. Well...here's what happened:

Initial response to the chair...

Harper pulled a blanket from the arm of the chair and it fell on her and I stretched it over to Jack- who knew that would do the trick!

Find a stuffed dog on the end table? Apparently when you make the dog sing, it's the perfect entertainment option

When the dog sings, you have to dance along!

Did I act like I was happy two minutes ago? I was so wrong...

And then it's back to the drawing board.  Our night actually ended with Tony and I finally having dinner around 8:45. He had to cut my steak into bite size pieces because I was holding Harper with one arm and rocking Jack with the other. Nothing says classy steak dinner like eating with your fingers.