Getting Back to Normal

Koen slept so much between yesterday and last night that he woke up in good spirits today with lots and lots of energy. He and Doug started their morning making us all French Toast. Yum! Then Doug played with the boys in the living room and kept an eye on the guy changing the windshied out in our car. Koen was very interested in checking in on him through the window every few minutes. It was a nice morning distraction (not to mention we've had a crack going across half the windshield for months).

Koen (and I have to say Doug too) was quite proud of their creation this morning. In case you can't tell from the picture, it is a parade.

After the windshield was fixed, we took off as a family to run some errands. It came at a good time because both boys were running out of steam, so some "quiet" car time was helpful. We figured Tavin would nap in the car, but our car time was pretty short and I think he only slept about 10 mins. max the whole time we were out. Tavin is so easy-going though, he never got upset, he just chilled out sucking his thumb, cuddling his blanket in his car seat through Target and Walmart. Koen, on the other hand, was a basket case. Just an absolute emotional roller coaster. It is so frustrating when that happens when we are all together. It makes Doug frustrated, it makes me edgy, it just takes a lot of the fun out of the family experience. We don't do a ton of stuff together as the four of us out and about and so Doug and I were really looking forward to this, but I don't know that we will do it again for awhile.

We had a pretty good time at lunch though, so that was nice. Koen held it together for most of that time. The distraction of food and coloring were key. Tavin, of course, ate like a champ and barely made a peep.

Both boys are sleeping well this afternoon. I needed the break. Doug is off to work for the rest of the day/night, so I needed some down time before being on my own tonight with the unpredictable Koen. I wish I knew what to do to make him less frustrating. Is it his age? Is it the way we treat him? Are we instigating it or causing it? Will it go away? Some days I feel like he is going to be a very difficult child/person for a long time, and then other times I'm encouraged that he will be OK after he grows out of it and learns in this teachable time.