A Great Monday

Even though I'm being a Grumpy McGrumpette tonight, I have to say, today was a pretty good day all the way around.

Take work, for example. I had an internal client schedule a meeting for this morning about a project that our department has had on the back burner longer than we should have, due to several million things that are perfectly good excuses, but that don't make up for the fact that this client has had to wait far too long. I was pleasantly surprised (and I should not have been surprised, these are nice folks), when I found out they were happy with the work I'd done on it so far, and we had a great, positive conversation about the project.

Then my design department came through with proofs on two different projects that I'm managing. Score! Finished my media kits and have them ready to send out. Score! Great day at work.

Then when I got home, Griffin had already finished his homework. Most importantly, however, he had all the different papers from his different classes in the correct folders in his notebook, not shoved haphazardly in his book bag. This, my friends, is a HUGE deal. Big step for my new jr. high student who struggles with these things. I told him how proud I was of him.

Connor finished his entire homework packet over the weekend, so he doesn't have to do homework this week. He is reading his a/r book now. He is such a breath of fresh air...he simply does what he's told, period, no complaining. And he's enjoying his book. That's my boy.

Larry was home (furloughs, hurrah), so he made dinner, and we all had grilled tilapia at the table together. Family dinner with the television off. Then Olivia got through shower, hair, story, and bedtime with no drama. Again, friends, a huge deal chez Siroky. I told her to pick one story because she took too long in the shower, so of course she chose "The Cat in the Hat Comes Back", which is obnoxiously long. Do any other parents out there find that a mouthful to read? Something about the rhymy sing song just gets me all jumbled up. Anyway, I told her, we'll read half tonight, and half tomorrow, and she didn't complain. You heard me right. Didn't complain. Just looked at me with her sweet eyes and said, "Do you promise we can read the rest tomorrow?" For real, not yanking my chain to get her way. Believe me, I can tell the difference.

Well, major attack of conscience. This is my baby girl, read her the whole damn story...what's more important, zoning out and watching House Hunters or reading to your daughter...so I told her I'd read the whole thing. Well, she had gone and found her new bookmark, and wanted desperately to use it. So she said no, just read half please! Yay! She's happy, and I get to watch the rest of House Hunters. They bought the third house, blue one on the protected wetlands in South Carolina that required flood insurance.

Now my boys are tucked in. They still give me a kiss goodnight, and we still have our little ritual saying that we do. I think about how everything we say at night originated with Griffin, when he was little, and how we do it with all our kids now. I wonder if they will remember it when they grow up.

All in all...a good day.