Days Like This

This morning, as we headed into the bambini's room, Ted laid his hands on Julie's shoulders and sighed, "He's going to yell at us."

We were, admittedly, at a rather low ebb, given the events of Sunday, particularly the hours which followed nap and unspooled in much the same way that the events of last Saturday did. This would be when Our Hero heroically attempted to defend his self-proclaimed right to depart the house without a coat or hat in decidedly fall-like weather. This weekend found Our Hero simply being contrary: no, he did not want to go out for a snack adventure; yes, he did--now that it was no longer an option because of aforementioned contrariness.


Fans, it can be all rather exhausting and spirit-crushing.


As we begin most mornings with some sort of contrary caterwauling that we then have to ignore only to then endure wails and screams for varying lengths of time, imagine our delight when this morning unfurled with the barest of hiccups--namely, the briefest--but briefest!--moment of whining (about it being a school day and thus not a pancake or waffle day and, presumably, not a day when Joe can spend his day giving his parents a run for their money). When Julie was getting Clara dressed, she heard Joe climb down from his chair and issued her one call to get dressed to which Joe replied, "O-kay! But first I have to clear my plate." Then, he got dressed with a decidedly minimal amount of lollygagging. Then, he got himself into his shoes and coat again, with a decidedly minimal amount of lollygagging. Drop off was like a hot knife through butter! A revelation!


And then tonight! Pick-up! A breeze! We rolled our eyes at one another in good humor when upon Ted's remark that we had the rock star spot (as we have dubbed the spot just outside the door), Joe replied, "No, I don't want the rock star spot." He nevertheless trooped to the car anyway. He got in with minimal fanfare. Music was requested (by Clara, signing more) and no fuss was made regarding the selections (Write This Down from Kidz [sic, we think] Country and [Movin'] "Right Along" from the Muppet Green disc). Joe asked for his mother to get him out of the car! UNHEARD OF!!!!! We tromped into the house. Clara reached back for Julie's hand. Hearts may have melted in the moonlight. We came in. We shed coats and shoes in an orderly fashion. Fluffy was retrieved from the porch for Clara by Joe. Hands were washed with NO MULLYGRUBBING!!!!! The pre-bath time was whiled away in happy puttering and pattering.


Now, it is true that as Julie began typing up this glorious chain of events, that she heard things begin to breakdown in the bathroom as Joe's bath was being drawn. Still. Utter derailment was staved off, somehow.


Then, Julie and Joe read Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, and The Line-Up Book, and had rather a lovely chat about why Julie went to Iowa yesterday (all things in the past are yesterday to Joe), whether Joe liked the slide or swing best (swing), and what flavor of Cheerios we liked best (Julie: fruity; Joe: chocolate).


Julie believes Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day was a bit too advanced for Joe, despite it's central message: Mama said there'd be days like this. Too true. But thank goodness there are days like today, too.