Rainy Day

Today dawned gray and rainy. It was perfect sleeping-in weather (especially after springing forward), but unfortunately, it was, of course, Monday, and thus not a sleeping-in day (though no day is really a sleeping-in day with toddlers). Ted was up early since he left on a trip for work this morning, and Julie was up so that she was all ready to go before the bambini woke up. So it was that we all had breakfast together, which is highly unusually for a weekday morning. After Ted had left, Julie commented that everyone looked sort of sleepy, which prompted Joe to ask her if she took a nap at work. (You all know the unfortunate answer to that , Dear Readers.)

Rainy days don't get us down here at Raleigh House though, because a rainy day means we can breakout the Thomas umbrella! Here are the bambini headed into school this morning with Joe doing his very best to keep the umbrella over the wandering Clara. The parking spot by the door* was available, but we parked a bit away to allow for umbrella use.

Our first of three mornings and evenings without Ted couldn't really have gone any better. Clara screamed at Joe when they were getting dressed but Joe rose up to meet the bar! He didn't scream back and Julie gave him a power fist. Apart from that moment, the bambini were total rock stars this morning, putting on their gear with no horsing about, dawdling, screeching, or other assorted antics. Julie budgeted extra time for the usual shenanigans, but pulled away from the curb at 7:07am, eight minutes in advance of goal time!

Tonight has, similarly, been smooth sailing. It's true that Clara did stick her tooth brush in her hair and between her legs and thus had it taken from her, which caused some consternation; and it is true that Joe wanted to stand on the stool with her at the same time, and in his zeal to do so all but attempted to shove her off by virtue of aggressive encroachment, which caused Julie to remove said stool, which caused tears and protests of what Daddy does.

Daddy is not here though. We all miss him, and not just because he usually handles all things bathroom stool and bath time (though Julie would point out, as she did to Our Hero, to no avail, that she has often seen the bambini happily brushing away with their feet on the floor).

*Known among us Minnesota Ekkers as "the rock star spot."