Day of Rest

Apparently I needed to catch up on some beauty sleep badly. I tried to nap during the day yesterday, but Kaylee kept jumping on top of me every 15 minutes (commercial time for her show) and finally I gave up. I was sleepy the rest of the day, and sometime terribly early-9:30 or so I think-I passed out on the couch, and I was down for the count. Steve woke me up at 12:30 to go to bed, and after about 30 minutes of being awake I was back out until 7 something this morning. When I got up this morning around 8 I felt the widest awake I may ever remember feeling-seriously.

Today I read "Harvesting the Heart" by Jodi Picoult, who once again sure knows how to turn a phrase and make you think. This one was somewhat about marriage and motherhood and generations and redemption and healing.

Steve made babyback ribs for lunch, and we had chicken bites and his parents made delicious vegetable plates, and it was quite a meal! Steve fixed steaks on the grill for dinner, and then had a fire in the back yard. For awhile he and Kaylee hung out there with Kenny, then with Grandpa, and then me.

She got out the bongo drum that her Aunt Cathy and Uncle Lon had brought back for Steve from Africa, and she sat out by the fire, banging that drum, and making up songs. She made up one about me, then Steve got the drum and he made up one about her being stinky. The drum was passed to me and I made up one about the fire and toasty toes. Kaylee's next turn she decided she would make up a song about "Pee". I shot her a look and she started giggling and said "You can yell at me about the song after I sing it." Her songs are actually pretty funny. Next Steve got the drum while Kaylee danced, then Kaylee drummed while Steve danced, then Steve drummed while Kaylee and I danced together. I'm sure we looked slightly insane, but luckily our back yard is fenced in. ;)

At the end of the evening, Kaylee got a blanket and lay on my lap and we watched the fire die down and talked. Out of the blue she asked me if I remembered when I got her up one 4th of July wrapped in a blanket and brought her outside to the back yard so she could see the fireworks. I do remember that, and honestly, I'm really glad she does too. At the time I'd hesitated to wake her up, because she was so tired, and it was so late for her age (she was four or something like that). But the show only comes once a year, so I went to her room and got her up and carried her outside. She didn't wake up until one went off, and she just lay on me curled in a ball in a blanket, fitting on my lap like she no longer does. She was quietly awed by the fireworks, and after the show was over I carried her back to bed where she fell right back asleep. It was a good evening, and a good memory, and I'm glad it's one she still has too. How much better is that memory than one more "solid" night's sleep? :)