Wee One In The House

A couple of days in the last week we've been lucky to have my wee nephew for the day. It's a last-minute kind of arrangement that I'm so happy to be able to do for my brother- and sister-in-law.

Not having had such a wee person in my house for at least six and a half years, I realized very quickly that I have a whole lot of freedom in my days. It's nice having older kids. But I do miss the wee years.

Remember when they start wanting to feed themselves? When they still need someone to help stick the food to the fork, yet they're really proud to be able to get the food into themselves? Pancakes (no syrup) were fairly mess-free. Today's yogurt was a different story.



Remember how little people tromp around and open and close every hinged fixture? Or how they seems to find stuff, like chess sets, fly-swatters or potatoes stowed under the microwave stand, no matter how well you think you've hidden things? Magnets are fun too. I love watching the learning process - Wee Man here has 'magnetic' and 'not magnetic' all wrapped up, even though he can't talk yet. Kids are so clever. I wish I'd have noticed more of the learning process when mine were smaller. However, I am loving how my kids are sharing in the joy of these lightbulb moments of my nephew. They are as amazed with Wee Man figuring something out as I am when they master a new skill or gain a bit of independence at their advanced ages of 8 and almost-10. So as much as having Wee Man throws our day for a loop, there are good things happening for all of us.

Remember how warm and clingy wee ones are when they wake up from their nap? How they just love to sit with you and wake up slowly? Of course, it only lasts for so long before wee tummy needs another snack. So I was glad to snap this pic while the warm cuddles lasted.



Remember how they need to do what you're doing? Here we have Wee Man stirring/splashing/pouring with dishes in one sink while I washed in the other (Kori was on step-stool safety patrol). Remember how one sink of dishes takes 3 hours and a snack to wash once you set up, wash, dry the kitchen and then launder the 346 towels you needed to use for the endeavor. Good times.

In between all of these good times, we have managed to fit in our schoolwork and keep the house picked up. Quite the feat as I never managed as much when my two were wee toddlers. Part-time kids who are not your own are so much more conducive to clean houses and composed grown-ups.