The week started with a celebration of Jason’s birthday and ended with a celebration of Mother’s Day.

On Monday morning, I overheard Amaya on her zoom call. “It’s my dad’s birthday. … No, brownies. … Yes. I made goody bags.” It was so sweet.

The kids also celebrated their dad in their morning journaling.

Decorations for Daddy!

Cards and presents and stories and crowns and brownies goody bags!

They love giving. <3

Penni has been bringing Lunchabes to work every now and then and the kids are jealous every time so, occasionally, Jason gets the kids Lunchables, too. Happy Tuesday Lunch!

This week the kids studied habitats for science. I love Amaya’s work on robins. She’s so focused when she writes and draws.

Penni took SSA back to the lake on Wednesday – another gorgeous day. They spent hours there and were the only ones.

While I’m working on Wednesday afternoons, I like to peek in on the kids’ dance class via Zoom. It’s definitely harder for them to focus from home but I think they’re still (mostly) glad to have dance once a week. These are strange times.

For May the 4th week, the them was Fan Art and Amaya was totally on board. I love her pictures of Rey and Princess Leia. Especially the eye lashes. 😉

Each of the kids picked out new books. Sammy picked out a new Tacky book. Steven got a Mo Willems art/activity book. Amaya picked Knuffle Bunnny, which I can’t believe we didn’t already own. I’ve read it to her almost every day since it arrived.

Steven dove right into his art book.

I think I’ve said this before, but I’m so glad that Steven, Sammy and Amaya have each other. Boy, they can fight, but they also play amazing games together. This was some version of hide-and-seek involving our orange cones. They’re also into light saber duels. Steven explained that they each have to take theirs proper starting spot, so it’s fair. I know things change when siblings grow up – especially mixed gender siblings – but I hope they’re close forever.

My girl is 6 going on 16.

All of us hard at work! I ate lunch downstairs (rare!) and did some work side-by-side with the kids. <3

On Thursday night I declined Amaya’s request to take a picture and print it for her. She was beside herself. She directed Sammy to come tell me, “You should care about other people, not just yourself.” Then she spent ages crying to Jason, “She’s so mean to me. She doesn’t love me. She hates me.”

From my conversations with other moms of 6 year olds this is par for the course (and won’t improve for a while) but ugh, it’s hard! Then, one day later, she’ll tell me I’m the best mom in the universe.

On Thursday the kids were rotating through virtual piano lessons and our housekeeper was upstairs (Welcome back, Claudia!) so I hunkered down in the basement to work. Of course I wasn’t alone for long. 🙂 Steven worked hard on his Elephant and Piggie activity book.

Sammy got two splinters in his hand, coverable by one bandaid but I think he was feeling the need for a little extra security. (They’re still there, by the way. We’ve been doing baking soda paste round the clock and he took a long bath yesterday but no lucky. I think we’re going to have to go digging. 🙁 )

And doesn’t Sammy look old here. Old, and like Jason.

Piano!

For show and tell on Friday, the kids had to bring something connected to their moms. Something our favorite color. Something we like to do, etc. Amaya brought a picture of one of my lego sets. Steven shared his orange headphones. Sammy brought one of my lego sets.

The consistency of the daily Zoom meetings has been great. I feel like the only mom in America who is going to be sad when school ends for the summer, especially if they don’t have camp. They need routine and outside contact. We’ll build our own routine when school ends, but it won’t be the same.

A Friday highlight was watching the pick-up for our dumpster. Steven was sad to see “Dumpy” go. He’s like his dad with nicknames for everything.

“Bye Dumpy.”

Somehow, the kids convinced us to have a slumber party in the living room on Friday night. I thought it would be a nightmare but I actually slept until 7:45am, and my sleep was my measure of success. I’d do it again. But it’s probably better saved for a time of year when the sun sets before 9am and rises after 6am.

When one Cline kid gets a bath, they all get baths. Which is a 90 minute exercise for their mother. But it’s worth it when Amaya is in the bath singing, “This is the best day ever! This is the best day ever!”

She’s been into the idea of curly hair, so after her bath we used leave in conditioner, scrunched in a bunch of jell (upside down) and plopped. I’d say she ended up with a fun beach waves look.

Steven and Sammy are pretty much always up for art.

The influence of laptops is strong in our house, right now.

I still can’t even, with this mask. (Do you think, hundreds of years from now, linguists will see phrases like, “I can’t even” and shake their heads?)

This morning I was treated to my most favorite meal, in bed – toasted everything bagel, lox, cream cheese, tomatoes and onion. Perfect.

I also got some amazing cards from the kids.

My Mom Can. By Amaya Cline.

My mom can swim. My mom can read. My mom can work. My mom can sleep. My mom can go to New York. My mom can cuddle.

To Mom. By Sammy

My mom has black hair. My mom has curly hair. My mom likes to go swimming. My mom likes cats. My mom is special because she loves me. My mom is special because she is my mom.

Mommy. By Steven.

My mom has love. My mom has glasses. My mom likes orange. My mom likes me. My mom is special because she helps me.

It was a very lazy day. Lots of Star Wars including Revenge of the Sith and two episodes of Clone Wars. (Or, as Steven says, “Star The Clone Wars Wars“. <3) I’ve been craving Popeyes for weeks but there nearest one is 20 minutes away so, for dinner, Amaya, Sammy and I took an hour long round trip to the Popeyes drive through. Totally worth it.

Here I am with my kids on mother’s day – captured in the moment with SSA as we look at some of my legos.

Have a great week! Happy Mother’s Day!