Week 6, the power of 3D

 This week was harder.  As I sat with the discomfort and sadness of it all, I began reflecting and thinking deeply about what I need to maintain sanity through all this.  There are many things that came to mind, but what stuck out the most this week was the lack of connection in seeing people.  Zoom, facetime, phones, text have been a lifesaver. But the inability to actually see humans, especially friends and family, is challenging.   

I asked the kids this week if it was harder and they instantly replied no.  All of them, unanimously said no.  I was shocked.  They listed things they are grateful for given the circumstances.   Maybe I was projecting my feelings too much on them.   

While I felt like the week was more challenging, sadder, and generally harder, when I look back at photos as always, it wasn't so bad.  There were smiles, laughter, yummy food, and happy kids.  The ups and downs are normal, I know.  Not easy, but normal.  I am trying to just accept the different feelings that come up through this and sit with them, knowing everything is temporary.

Each picture brings a memory and with that emotions and feelings.  The first picture that came up for me was the start of the week.  A socially distanced happy hour with two good friends (one left by the time we took the picture).  Though we had to stay far apart, bring our own chairs and drinks, dress for the chilly weather and not hug each other, it was so nice to see friends in 3D.  The morning after this, B's beloved teacher Alicia came by for a socially distanced surprise hello.  She and the kids stayed in the car and we stayed on our front lawn.
The power of people in 3D is real.   I am learning, we all are learning, from this and this week was an eye opener that seeing people in 3D is necessary to my happiness.   While I cannot achieve this in the same way as before, I am realizing that I do need to seek it out in whatever way may be possible.  Whether it is the occasional socially distanced happy our, chatting with neighbors who happen to be outside when we are, or going for long walks in the afternoons seeing other humans and talking with a friend by phone.

B's love for science continued with sorting and learning about bugs and experimenting with color.

  

 B is not our most adventurous eater, but honestly its not a fight I am willing to fight at this point in time.  He eats tons of fruit and vegetables, grains and enough protein that I am OK with it.  On the flip side, he also is quite picky about sugar.  We made chocolate chip cookies this week and he refuses those as well.  It all balances itself out.  

Above, I tried a muffin tin meal one night where each cup was filled with something healthy and colorful.  

 Our walking rainbow was a bust.  Probably because I buy food coloring made from plants.  

 I couldn't find B the other day for snuggle and story time.  I had gotten to the point where I thought he might have gone outside alone when I found him quietly watching his brothers online piano lesson.  He sat there for most of the 30 minutes, silently watching.

 A made a pretty fun obstacle course in our backyard one day.  Its amazing what he was able to do with such a small space.  

 B built many "statues" out of duplos.

 And this morning Brian took a peloton class at the same time as some friends to celebrate one of their 300th rides.  It was at the same time as an online zoom workout I was doing so I gave the kids all the boxes and toilet paper towel rolls we had and told them to build a marble run.  Its now 3 PM and they are still going strong.  The collaboration and team work has been remarkable.

 Prior to quarantine, our kids had gotten into a place where they argued a lot.  Probably from being stressed and busy.  Over these 5 weeks, we have seen a slow but promising change.  They work and play together, encourage each other more and are generally happier and more helpful to us and for each other.  I am so grateful they have each other and that we have multiple kids to play with each other.