Does This Make Me the Block Mom?

Today we are watching Greg while his mom recovers and the other adults in his household work on moving house; a frenetic 8yo who is very wedded to routine being not a useful addition to the moving-house process.

Remember a couple weeks ago, when Calgon and I were going to have a hot (bubbly, steamy) date as soon as hubby got home? That was the last weekend I had all three kids. And this weekend I have an extra in Greg, and a neighbor girl, Kay, whom - while I am not explicitly watching her - I am also not making her go home and get her own snacks and so forth. But that was last time. This time, we have nice weather in Seattle! While it doesn't actually rain nine months out of the year in Seattle (shh! Don't tell the Southern Californians!), it is usually at least overcast. And this is after all February, but today is clear and cold, and the four older kids (10, 9, 8, 8) are all playing at the playground next to our building. I make them check in every hour and a half, and other than that (and half an hour for lunch) they've been out there for four hours and they are loving every minute.

This is not to say that I won't need my break after hubby gets home; I'm sure I will. But it won't be the imperative give-it-to-me-NOW-or-see-my-Chaotic-Evil-Side issue it was a couple weeks ago, either. Because the Big Four are outside, and the 3yo is napping, and I'm happily blogging and folding laundry and Being Domestic. Lizzy naps on the couch, because usually there are any number of children playing in her shared bedroom at nap-time, and so at last check-in, with Leanna's & Greg's lack of volume switches, and Abby's & Kay's stage whispers, I was pretty sure she was going to wake up. The amount of (verbal, and either stage-whispered or at-top-volume) negotiation involved in "you may each have one piece of fruit and half a single-serving of chips" required is incredible. All that for two bananas, two apples, and two 100-calorie packs of Pringles?