Saturday matinee

After the boys' week visiting Mimi, I worried that the transition back to daycare would be difficult for them, especially Ben. And I was right, Ben was incredibly sad to be dropped off on Tuesday, and made us feel awful, as he cried and told his father that he would be a good boy, just please don't leave him! Well, sorry, Benny-man, this has nothing to do with you being a good boy, you have to go to school because Mommy is now working. The mornings have been a bit of a struggle -- Ben refuses to get dressed, and I end up fighting him to get clothes on him (because the daycare handbook actually says, "NO PAJAMAS" -- or I might just send him as is), he and I are both in tears, I'm sweating, he is upset, I'm yelling at him, and by the time he is dressed, we're both frazzled. My mom laughed, and commented that I've handled everything else over the past 3 years like Superwoman -- but maybe Ben's socks are my Kryptonite. On Friday, however, I figured out a negotiating solution that made Ben cooperate -- I told him he could push a button on the blender when I made their breakfast smoothie if he didn't fight me to get dressed -- and it worked like a charm. I'm not thrilled with the idea of negotiating with him to get him to do the things he has to do, but it made for a peaceful morning, there was no fighting or crying (from either of us), and I made it to work without needing a second shower, and with no runs in my stockings.

Anyway, as a treat to the boys for being so good at school (the daycare center director emailed me and told me that although they aren't supposed to have favorites, the boys are the toddler-room teachers' favorites because they are so entertaining, and they speak like adults -- maybe she writes that to all parents, but it did make me smile), we decided to take them to a movie. "Gnomeo and Juliet" came highly recommended to me from a coworker with a kindergarten-aged granddaughter, and seeing it is the only G movie playing, we decided to see that -- even though it is only playing in 3D, which meant HUGE glasses for the boys.

The boys were very excited about going to the movie, and very excited about having popcorn and getting to watch a cartoon. Sam wouldn't leave on his glasses, but sat on the edge of his seat, bouncing along to the music, and shoving popcorn in his mouth. Ben sat on his father's lap and left his glasses on for quite a while. The boys did well for about 35 minutes -- and then Ben started getting antsy, and then Sam started getting antsy, and they started wandering. So we left -- and I was a little annoyed, the movie was cute and I would have liked to see the ending (or second-half, for that matter), but I guess 35 minutes should be considered a success for two 2-year olds, right?