family: daddy's home...

time: tuesday afternoon
place: our kitchen
actors: M&K&L&me (and Lucy-the-Dog, LtD)

I walk in from the bus.
M is on window seat with L bumping up against her legs and K sliding down onto the floor nearby in tears.
me: Hi?
M: Hey.
K (sobbing): I need (unintelligible)
L (seeing me and turning to run toward me): daddydaddydaddy!
me: How's it going?
M: Fine.
K (sobbing): (unintelligible)
L: uppyuppyupupup!
me (lifting L up): Need to get away from all this for a bit?
M (small smile): Yeah. Mind if I go for a quick run?
K (sobbing): I need (unintelligible)
L (snugging against my neck): K cwying.
me: Good. Go. What's with (nod toward K who is now lying in a heap on the floor)?
M (stands up): She wants a car seat for her baby doll.
me: Ah. You want a car seat K?
L (snuggling): K want car theat?
me: Sounds like it.
K: I need a car seat.

M went to change for her run (and came back downstairs looking sexy cute in her tights and running shirt). I set L down and picked up K who alternated between tears and insistence that she needed a car seat for her doll. Something I've discovered by reading Connected Parenting is that there are moments when K is pushing me away, upset and frustrated and near-hyperventilating, when wrapping my arms around her and holding her in spite of herself is the best thing I can do. So I try that at times like these. And sometimes it works. It seemed to work this time. (Other times she insists on getting out, and that's ok too.)

20 minutes later the car seat was "back-burnered" and the girls were busy riding their horses and discussing how to best lead a rocking horse around while someone was riding.

30 minutes later, about the time M returned from her run looking sweaty and tired and sexy cute, the girls were busy falling off their mounts, being Veronica in Trail Ride parts I and II (The Saddle Club, Season 1). K did a good job of falling and being unconscious ("asleep"). L threw herself off onto the hard floor until I suggested she "fall" the other direction, onto the rug (where K was landing).

And that was our afternoon....