Let the Wild Rumpus begin!

One of Finn & Will's favorite bedtime stories is Where The Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak (1963). I have known of this book since I was a kid, and I knew, even then, that it was highly regarded because of the embossed silver medal decal on the cover, but as a little girl I never understood why. After all, it's only 10 sentences long. And it's pretty scary! But after hearing Will read this book to Finn, and after having read it to Finn myself a couple of times, I have come to really, really like it a lot.

This afternoon I caught the tail end of the Ellen Show, which ended with a movie trailer of a new film coming out this Fall. The movie? Of course, Where The Wild Things Are. Directed by Spike Jonze, watching the trailer filled my eyes with tears! I guess the little boy in the film, although much older than Finn and looking nothing like him, but wearing the very distinctive wolf costume from the illustrations in the book just made me think of Finn. It hit me how wonderful it has been this week to be here in Raleigh to take care of him while my sister was on a business trip. Watch the Trailer from the movie here.

It has been exhausting, especially to someone who has never been much of a "kid person" - but this week with Will and Finn has opened my eyes to a world that I am entirely unfamiliar with, and that is - the never ending care of a toddler!

Finn with his beloved Kitty

My hat is totally off to my sister and her husband. And to my Mom. And my Dad. And all the Moms and Dads and other caretakers of all the little kids there are. Holy Cow! What a huge job and responsibility. I have never understood what people meant when they talked about how much *joy* a child brings to the world. But this week I have finally learned first hand what they mean, thanks to happy, precious, smiling, laughing, curious, smart, chatty, sociable, joyful and wonderful Finn.



I have found myself this week not wanting him to go to daycare or Mom's Morning Out just so we could hang out together. I have found myself happily maneuvering around his nap schedule, his meals and his bedtime, and enjoying every second of it.

A little chicken, peas and cheese dish I whipped up for the little monkey tonight

I feel so lucky to have been able to spend so much quality time with him. And every night when Will put him in his cute little pajamas and read a bedtime story I was sad to see him go to bed. Sad, but admittedly relieved, to be able to just *sit* and relax without having to keep an eye on the little tyke every waking second.

Spaghetti dinner Tuesday night

I'll be very sad to leave tomorrow, but knowing that anytime I need a little "parenting" fix I just need to come and spend some time with my precious nephew. Who is, by the way, THE cutest little boy there EVER WAS.