There has been so much going on lately that it has been hard to really relax. I think we're doing a good job of keeping the girls' world as normal as possible, but it must be started to wear on us. At least once a day, the brunette twin asks me, "Are you sad? You look sad." I always say I'm just tired, but it doesn't really convince her.
We are tired, of course, but we are also sad. Knowing how much sadness the girls have already experienced, continue to experience, and will experience soon, it makes me double my efforts to give them as normal a summer as possible.
They are the benefits of this mentality. Lately I say yes to a lot of stuff I wouldn't normally agree to just because I want them to have some happy memories. You want to have ice cream for snack after having brownies with lunch? Yes, you can. You want to go to a concert to see your friends when it's 90+ degrees at 7:00 p.m.? Of course we'll go if your friends are going. The blond twin wanted blond streaks, so we bought her Sun In. The brunette twin wanted a a big purse like her friend Morgan. I found one on resale for $2. Of course she carries the purse everywhere now.
You want to stay up late and play Wii? Well, maybe not because they're still waking up about 7:00 a.m., no matter how late you go to bed. Hey, even I have standards. If they start sleeping later, we'll add that to the "of course" chorus.
Today they had chocolate chip pancakes with whipped cream for breakfast . We went to lunch with some Florida relatives. After lunch my aunt said, "Dessert anyone?" Of course they had dessert.
I realize some parents would be screaming about how I should be teaching them they cannot have whatever they want and setting boundaries. I realize it might seem like I'm spoiling them to make up for all the tears that fell, continue to fall and will fall. Just last week we were driving to piano lessons when we passed a cemetery. The brunette twin started crying saying, "I miss Aunt 'Lene. I don't want her to be dead."
So, yes. I'm spoiling them whenever we have the chance. For me this summer is about pain and sorrow. For them I want to find a better balance of silly stuff like chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast and chocolate cake for lunch so their 2011 summer memories are not all about tears and sadness.