Mom

I LOVE MY MOM. 

She has come to see these kids pretty much once a month. It makes their day (and mine!) when she's here, and it is always hard to say goodbye. This time Peter insisted that he take grandma to her house himself. I think he's figured out that the airport usually means goodbye. Bleh.

This was such a quick trip, but we were thrilled to have her for as long as we could! We picked her up from the airport on Saturday and went straight to Lake Harriet to walk around the lake and grab a bite to eat. It was fun for Scott and me to show mom around our city when it's sunny and warm (a little too warm and humid while she was here. Can we ever get the weather right, Minnesota?). While at Lake Harriet, we hopped on the Como-Harriet Trolley to go for a ride. Being a fan of Daniel Tiger, Peter was excited. 

We played at the playground at Lake Harriet for a bit so Peter could show off his climbing skills, and then we made our way home, where Peter and prepared grandma's room with a special "Tigger" to keep her company. Both kids were glued to my mom the entire time. It was just so nice having her here. I don't know how she does it. But she manages to make me feel so much calmer and and on top of things after she leaves. It could be because she catches me up on laundry, does all my dishes, and does not stop the entire time she's here! She is seriously amazing. I don't know how she take care of everyone in our family so well. I get tired just watching her. She is someone to aspire to be. And I try, everyday!

Scott and I spoke in church on Sunday, and I can't even express how nice it was to have my mom to help with the kids. They adore her, and were the best-behaved they've ever been. Peter is actually fantastic at church. Brooklyn is happy, but busy busy busy!

On Monday we took mom to our favorite little splash pad at Round Lake. The plan was to play in the sand, but the kids had so much fun just getting wet. Peter is convinced that it is his own personal assignment to keep the button pushed to supply water for the entire splash pad. Those kids totally owe him, because he took his job very seriously and kept the water going the entire time. I'd like to point out that my scrawny boy is finally starting to put a little meat on his bones. I'm excited for his 3 year appointment. Do you think he'll still be in the 1% for weight?

Mom had to leave the next day. So, naturally, we put the kids to bed and then stayed up until midnight watching a movie and having a really good laugh. I am always happy to have my mom visit for a million reasons, but one of which is that we always have at least one really good, hard laugh... usually late at night. I just love my mom, and I'm so grateful for her friendship. I don't know what I'd do without her. I missed my sister Kirsten, and I can't wait until September when I get to have my sister AND my mom both! She's bringing Sarajane and Emmy for a few days, and Peter and Brooklyn will be so excited to spend some good time with their cousins. I'm thrilled! I need to figure out a way to get Alyssa out of her first week in her new job and then I'll have all my favorite Petersen girls in Eden Prairie! 

After dropping my mom off at the airport, I hit a dumb little pothole that slashed both my passenger tires and left me stranded on the freeway with two kids in a hot, hot car. When you only know two people in the state (none of whom will have room in their car for you and your two car-seated kids), you start to feel really REALLY grateful that you spent the extra hundred bucks on Toyota Care and that your husband has a driver he uses for work. We were well-taken care of, though it was overwhelming.

My mom brought Peter a replacement deer she found with my dad in Carmel. I plotted the switch carefully, positive that Peter wouldn't notice his skinny-necked, holey nose, scraggly little deer had a sudden upgrade. Unfortunately, he found number two before I could make the switch. "Hey! This is a FUZZY deer!" So Peter now sleeps with two deer. Okay.