Double Double, Toil and Trouble....

"Mommy.  Yoooouuuuu left the big light on!"

"What big light?  I didn't leave a light on."

"Yes you did.  The biiiiig light.  The one you push up and it turns on."

"Hmm.  I don't think I did."

"You did."

"Well, we're late.  It'll just have to stay on."

Rolls eyes and sighs.  "The batteries is gonna run out..."

And thus started our week....  Actually, I think that was Wednesday.  Brian was home Monday with Lucas and so he got to come to the first swim lessons.  Which broke my heart in two ways:

1) Ethan's arm has not healed correctly and it is ever so apparent when he is just in his swim suit.  We go back at the end of the month, but I think I'm pretty sure I know what the outcome will be.

2) Lucas was oh so ready, oh so excited... and then it was time to go off with the teacher.  He turned to me, his eyes welled up with tears, begging me to not make him go.  I told him it would be fine.  We'd be right there.  Ethan would hold his hand if he wanted.  He went, though only sat on the stairs for the first half, looking back every few minutes to make sure we were still there.  Wednesday was worse and better.  It started off worse as he was sobbing before we even left daycare.  But then, 10 minutes into his lesson, he came running over for a nose wipe and announced "I not shy anymore.  I am having FUN!"  And then all was well with the world. 

Tuesday was my turn for a day off - as the daycare was still closed.  I took Lucas in with me in the morning to finish last minute sub details and he had a blast hanging out at the school.  He even left me for a few minutes with one of my friends - big for him!  One of the teachers has a salmon tank and explained to him how they were about to be ready to be swimming around and he has talked about it four or five times since then - begging to go back to see them.  I just think we might!  

Thursday was a roughhhhhhhh day all over.  Ethan was a bit of a mess at school, fell asleep in the nurses office, didn't want to go to lunch or recess, ending the day by rolling on the floor and refusing to move....  Not good...  This is the same day Lucas chose not to nap at daycare and fussed that I was there to pick him up.  And also the same day that we had a whilrwind of an evening planned.  But, they napped a bit in the car and they rallied!  They were fabulous at our brief visit at a friend's baby shower (especially since the little boy that lived there ha a room full of big boy toys).  The next stop was a Fused Glass Art Class put on by Calypso Glass for the program I teach in.  The kids (and families) were given glass tiles to decorate that will then be fused and returned.  It was fascinating to watch how everyone attacked the task.  Ethan worked really hard at first, came up with a very cool design, glued a bit of it, had a hard time keeping it in place, and gave up.  I finished his and added all sorts of different stuff.

 Lucas did his totally independently.  He wanted no help and took it very seriously. I can't wait to see the finished product.  And I can't wait to get him into some art classes - he really enjoys it!

 When the boys were done, they went around and photographed the entire library - and everyone's tiles.  I have about a million photographs from the event, but most include an up close shot of Lucas' finger.  By the end of the night they were rolling around and running rampant and Lucas ended up with a bloody nose.  It was at this point I wasn't sure I recognized my own children.
Friday was a much better day at school for everyone.  I was thrilled because we had big plans for the evening.  Choo Choo Soul was playing at the Admiral and we were going.  Ethan was an absolute hoot - he was totally rockin' the dance moves.  Lucas would dance a bit and then just focus intently on the stage and watch.  And then dance.  And then watch.  And so on and so on.  It was fabulous, but at the end I almost had a heart attack.  I looked down and Lucas was gone.  I searched all over our section, talked to the ladies at the stairs, ran out to the halls and saw the multitudes of people herding down the stairs and panicked.  I could not see him anywhere and freaked out that he might have gotten caught up in the crowd heading out to the street.  Somehow I could still hear his high pitched voice though, I thought.  A dad I knew from last year thought he might have seen him in the theater and we ran back in and sure enough he was running from the other side.  "I just wanted to go up there!"  "Up where?"  "Up on the stage.  I couldn't get there."  I just sat there for a few minutes holding him and getting my heart rate back to normal.
Saturday was basketball once again.  Lucas was way into the tunnel run-in this time, though not many players found his hand way down there to smack.

 He and Ethan were both pretty tired.  Ethan did great the first half - stealing the ball, running around..,.  But the second half he was a mess.  He pretty much just stood at half court and yawned.  The coach (and I) were pretty frustrated, but couldn't get him to turn it around.  Lucas and Brian (And Uma and Upa) had gone home to nap (well, not Uma and Upa), so it was just me trying to get him motivated.  I figured he was just really tired and frustrated at still not making any of his shots.

 And then after the game, I had another heart-wrenching episode.  He ran off to the cafeteria for snacks even though I, and the rest of the team, hadn't gone there yet.  It took me a bit to find him and again, I just felt sick.  He was just really excited for snacks, since he brought them.  And he had designed a label for the bag - "Go Sonics! Happy Valentine's Day!", so there was that.  We finally reunited and he was again awarded the red "defensive" star.  We went home and everyone took a bit of a nap.
And then it was off to our friends the Barrys' house for a Valentine's Dinner!  Ethan spent a lot of the night at a table like this......

 He was just seeming really tired and worn down.  Which of course adds to the Mommy Guilt....  But he (and we all) managed to have a whole lot of fun - lots of laughs and giggles....

 I just adore this little girl.  She cracks me up.  She wanted her picture taken with the beautiful roses.

 Heart pasta - lots of fruits and veggies - breadsticks - deliciousness!  Even sparkle juice!  We ate way too much.

 The kids all took turns praying their prayers they learn at daycare/preschool/good news club.  Ethan's had something to do with "all the people in jail".  Helping them, of course.

 And then it was time for dessert.  I really wanted something that would double as a fun activity.  Which of course meant it was somewhat exhausting and messy...  But fun...?!  Right?!

 We did candy melt/chocolate dipped oreos and heart marshmallows.  Lucas and Nadia were enjoying eating them right after dipping.

 The rest of us (well, maybe not all of us) decorated and then let them dry.  Ethan was actually fairly meticulous.  I was impressed, but also weirded out by how mellow he was.

 The mess.  But they ended up really kind of cute (all the ones that didn't have bite marks out of them) and they were delicious.

Such a fun night with friends.  This morning the boys were still pretty cranky - had a hard time getting them up off the couch.  We went to church and then afterward I remembered a conversation I had with my friend Vickie on Facebook the day before - as I was fussing about Ethan's week and his behavioral choices as of late...  She reminded me that the last time he was like this, he had a horrible ear infection.  I asked the boys if their ears hurt.  They said yes. Then no.  Then yes, oh yes.  Then "No, but my knee hurts".  We looked at each other and decided to take them in.  Feeling stupid and thinking we were going to be labeled as overly paranoid....  But lo and behold, after waiting in the exam room for at least 10 rounds of Simon Says - they were both diagnosed with double ear infections   Whoops.  They boys, they have no tells.  We would never have known except for the grumpiness.  Off we went for meds and loooooong naps.
The rest of the day we spent some time with friends at a local yogurt shop - yummy!  And great conversation..  And then we went to church for the Vday Dessert Social.  This is where I declared my love for Brian publicly by saying "You put up with my crazy."  Because that in itself is amazing.
And now this incredibly long post is over and I'm headed to bed.  Such a fun weekend.  And now I know my children have not turned to the dark side, but were in fact horribly sick and I had no idea.  Which leads to absolutely no guilt on my part (note sarcasm).  Oh well, you can't win them all!