dahlhaus

Dean got home from a trip to Toronto and Montreal late yesterday, and I'm very relieved to no longer be solo parenting.  I usually have the boys on my own for at least an extended weekend a month, but in summer it's more like 2 full weeks.  Generally things are rough the first day Dean is gone and the last day before he gets home, but the middle time goes by fast, once we find our rhythm.
Of course, the boys are getting older, which means things are getting a bit easier.  They want to help out while grocery shopping, not run around the store like monkey's chasing each other, like they used to.  Perhaps the incentive of getting to keep the quarter in the cart after they help out is part of it, but hopefully also the fact that they are starting to grow up.  My 9 year old is clearly getting closer to the pre-teen stage then the school-age stage.  He wants to listen to 'dance music' in his room on the radio, he rolls his eyes if I have to talk to him about his behavior, all the while still playing lego and having light saber battles.  He's tall too- his head reaches my chin.  Yes, he's going to be as tall as me soon.  Yikes.