Mamma & Sons

As we have hit our stride and new routine of a new school year, I am seeing some special moments ahead for some one-on-one time with my boys.

Samuel arrives home from school each day at 2:00.  Twice a week we cross paths at the door as he enters and I exit with the other two kids who need to go back to school for the afternoon.  Samuel is becoming quite the independent young man, who is learning and really liking to make lunch for himself.  He has mastered the art of preparing pasta and seems to be quite satisfied with himself because of the fact.  One day I left the kitchen uncleaned from lunch #1 so when he came home he did a bit of cleanup too without being asked.  I do have to admit that my heart did skip a beat when I saw him washing my empty soup pot (he hates soup!) thinking he poured it down the drain.  No, oh mamma of little faith, he actually had already transferred it to the refrigerator.

Now that he desires to get in the kitchen more, this also benefits me as I have an extra pair of hands in dinner preparation and a conversation pal while Emma and Luca are at school.  Yesterday, Samuel helped assemble the lasagna or "lasagnas" as Emma always calls the dish (in Italian the dish is referred to in the plural form of "lasagne").  I smile every time when I hear third culture kid-ism phrasing.  So anyway, as we were working together in the kitchen I told Samuel I was thirsty and asked him if he could pour me a cup of lemonade.  The next thing I see is my lemonade measure out to precision in a measuring cup.  I laughed and have to keep in mind how literal Samuel makes things.  It can be like living with Amelia Bedelia sometimes.

On Fridays, Samuel and Emma have piano lessons from 4 to 5.  This gives me an hour and half alone with Luca.  Thankfully, he seems to be willing to get homework done during this period without distraction all with the hope of finishing his weekend homework before his siblings.  Fridays are breakfast night around our table, so I get an enthusiastic helping hand from Luca because it is the one meal he looks forward to all week.  He's quite good at cracking eggs and demands to do everything himself.

It is nice to have little individual moments throughout the week with the kids.  I guess Emma and I just need to make some special time to escape the boys.  We'll work on that.