TGIT!

Recognizing I was a bit of a downer about Friday last week, I figured I'd write about my favorite day of the week.

Thursday.

Since the 1st of the year, Thursday's have been my day with only Otto and Wren at home. Beginning last week I've been able to make it work to flip flop which boy is home with me and Wren on Thursday. This is allowing me the much desired opportunity for 2:1 time with the kids. Specifically, I have the chance to have a "special" day with each boy every other week.

Joe and I are just beginning the parenting years of constantly needing to encourage sharing, taking turns, waiting patiently, etc. On Thursday's it's a welcome respite for all, now that I can make it more of a "Yes" day for whichever boy is home from school that day. I feel like I have a better time bonding with them when they're not using up all of their energy (& mine) on negotiating splintered time and attention.

Thursday's are a nice, relaxed pace given there is no amped up boy energy or sibling rivalry or whatever it is that usually comes when both Max and Otto are home. We pick something fun to do each Thursday and it's an adventure for whichever boy picked the activity, as well as us girls.

A couple weeks ago Otto had so much fun at the Children's Museum. He got to play at the water tables until his little heart was content. Then we moved on to the pretend grocery store and restaurant. He cooked and swept and cashiered the morning away instead of constantly being interrupted to "figure out" what activity we were going to do given the choice Otto would pick wouldn't be Max's and vice versa.

Then last Thursday Max wanted to take the city bus downtown to the big Minneapolis library instead of the little Linden Hills library. Both Max and Wren had so much fun on the bus ride. Max pointed out every landmark we passed...

There's the forrest.

Is that our Lake Calhoun?

Look at the cherry on the spoon! It's the Sculpture Garden!

Oh, we're downtown now because the buildings are skyscrapers.

Is that where we went to the Twins game?

And Wren just loved being out of her carseat and looking out all the windows and making friends with other passengers.

I'm ashamed to say that I had never been to the downtown library since it was built. I thought it had only been about 4-5 years, but the librarian told us it is over 7 years old already! What a shame! It cost the three of us only $1.75, round trip, for this adventure. Caught the bus a block and a half from our front door and got dropped off at the library entrance.

And the children's section at the library is AWESOME. Music room with toys for young kids, child height bookcases with board books, tons of cushy chairs and couches to read with the kids on, beautiful architecture/design, including on the ceilings, that Wren checked out with eyes wide open, tons of light from walls of windows and of course rows and racks and stacks of books that Max loved looking through to pick out his stash to borrow.

I sense a lot more downtown adventures coming our way this summer via the 6B bus!

It's such a treat to have time "individually" (soon enough Wren will be a toddler and perhaps less "agreeable" with what her brothers want to do) with each boy. I love to see them so engrossed in the activity they pick to do. Love to give them more dedicated attention. And love to see how beautiful both of them are with Wren. Otto is particularly smitten with her the past month or so. He wants to be snuggled right up next to her if she's in her crib or playing beside her when she's exploring on the floor. Max will take moments out of his playing to go talk to her and really get her giggling. But Otto, he's definitely is a bit more attached to her right now.

TGIT!