Imagination Boost

Tomorrow is the first of June and Doha’s Summer heat is in full swing. When we left our house this morning my truck temperature read 38 degrees celsius. The air conditioner is running on full blast, the middle muppet has finally given up his hoodie and almost every day after school the three muppets ask to go swimming.

With the hot weather comes more time spent indoors, the past few months the muppets and their friends have been used to having the run of the neighborhood. They can ride their scooters, play at the playground and climb the small trees we do have. Sometimes there is a game of capture the flag or basket ball to join in on and there is always some imaginative game going on with the girls across the street. The blast of heat now means that the muppets and their friends spend a lot more time in each others houses on iPads, PS3’s and watching television.

Over the weekend I was surprised when I didn’t find the older two muppets on the couch after breakfast but I playing lego in their bedroom and even more surprised when the light sabers and Jedi cloaks made an appearance later on in the day. I watched as the acted out scenes from the movies, made up their own battles and traded characters. I was happy to see that the three of them were using their imaginations and not just Minecraft zombies on my couch.

Today we returned from school and the three of them asked for some time to chill out and didn’t want to swim. The three of them took their places on the couches with their iPads and watched video’s for a good 45 minutes. I was about to suggest that they do something different when the oldest and youngest started a game of hockey. As I was making dinner I heard the game change, the oldest and youngest were talking about gathering supplies and I could hear them formulating a plan. The three muppets came to the dinner table and explained that they were planning on climbing Mount Everest and that they would need a hearty dinner before the climb. I smiled to myself and dished out the Mac and Cheese that I had whipped up. I came out of the kitchen after I had cleaned up from dinner to find they had turned my staircase in to a mountain with a base camp and everything. One of them was in charge of hunting the other making a fire and all three had their fuzzy jackets on. The dog and I just took our spots on the couch and watched as they ran around us fighting imaginary creatures and battling their way through the elements.  I sometimes get concerned that all the technology in our life takes away from the kids imaginative play. At this point I think we are still doing alright, but I know as they get older the imaginative games will become fewer and they will become interested in other things.

So tonight I will get on my hiking gear to climb up “Mount Everest” to put the muppets to bed tonight, I will enjoy breaking up light saber fights that have gotten too heated and listen to what stories their little brains think up.

Shining Star

The Muppet’s had a special treat at school last week, the fifth grade classes had put on a performance of Peter Pan. The youngest Muppet was beaming from ear to ear when I went to pick him up from class after he had seen the show. “I loved it Mummy” he said skipping down the hallway, he proceeded to act out his favorite part of the show. He said it was really good even if Captain Hook didn’t really look like the real Captain Hook. I asked him how his rehearsal was going for his Kindergarten Musical, and told him that in less than a week he would be on the same stage. He smiled and said “I know Mummy, we are all going to be stars!”

We sat in the car earlier this week on the way to school, I could hear the youngest boy humming in the back seat. The middle guy asked him what he was singing, the youngest told him he was practicing in his head for his big show the following day. The middle Muppet grabbed his hand and told him how much fun he was going to have. “I remember in the olden days when I did my Kindergarten concert” he reminisced, “I can’t even remember what I was it was so long ago” The oldest piped up from the very back of the truck “You were a sheep, and I was a cow, how can you not remember that!” All three Muppet’s giggled and the older boys told the youngest all about their first stage experience. As we pulled up to the school and got all the bags from the trunk the I heard the youngest Muppet whisper to the oldest “You are going to come and watch me right Rhysie” the oldest told him that of course he would be there and gave him a high five.

The big day arrived and after the youngest had gotten in to his concert clothes and brushed his teeth he came to me to help him brush his hair. When we were finished he looked at me with a cheeky smile and said “So mama do I look like a star?” I laughed and told him that he would be the star of the show for me and that I couldn’t wait to see him perform. We sat in the theater waiting for the KG kids to take the stage. The smallest Muppet’s class finally took their places and I could see him, scanning the room looking for us and his brothers. When he found us he smiled a big smile and gave a little wave, when the lights went down and they started the show the youngest proudly performed each action and sang each word. It came to classes part in the musical and the 18 students took their places at the front of the stage. He was so serious as found his mark and then sang his little heart out. When the show was over his class made their way down the hallway back to their classroom, I saw the youngest unbutton his shirt and take off his headband, he wiped his head and said “phew that was hard work!” I giggled and gave him a high five “Where are my flowers mummy!?” he said with a small amount of demand in his voice. I was a little shocked and told him that I hadn’t gotten him any flowers. “You know mum, you get flowers for someone after they do a show, you should really know that!” I laughed and ruffled his hair and told him I would try to remember that for next time.

It was the last Kindergarten class for the Wilson household I probably should have shed a little tear but I was just happy that he enjoyed himself so much. When I tucked him in that night he told me again how much fun he had on stage “Was a I star Mummy?” I kissed him goodnight at told him that he was fabulous and that I couldn’t wait to see his next production. He smiled a big smile “I know I was really good Mummy” the three Muppet’s laughed and bid them goodnight.

There is no doubt that there are big things waiting for the smallest Muppet and if he ends up being a big star at least he has the diva thing down pat.

Not A Chance!

This morning the Muppets were super giggly. It was a nice change from the grumbling I usually hear, and the whining about not wanting to go to school, how tired they are and how “sick” they are.

I sat at my computer sipping my coffee and scrolling through social media listening to the three of them banter back and forth. A few seconds later I heard the youngest calling for me. “Mum….” He yelled from somewhere in the house. “Can you come check my bum!?” I rolled my eyes as I reluctantly got up
from my seat. We have gotten to the point where the youngest muppet can handle his bathroom duties 95% of the time, the other 5%… well they fall on me. The older two giggled at me as I walked to the bathroom. I poked the oldest muppet and told him that maybe this should be his job, he laughed it off and said “Not a chance!”

After I had helped the youngest with his business I walked back out to the living room. I told the muppets that I could not wait until the three of them had kids then they would be the ones dealing with dirty bums. The oldest laughed at me, and said “No way I am doing that!” I asked him what he was going to do when he had a baby of his own. “My wife will take care of that part of things” he said confidently “I will be too busy playing hockey!” I launched in to a huge speech about how it is not always the mothers job and that he would  have to be a supportive husband and help his wife whether he was a professional hockey player or not! After a few minutes of my ranting he grabbed my hand and said “Mum stop! I’m 9, I am sure we can talk about this another time… like when I actually have kids!” I laughed and gave him a hug, he was right. We had all the time in the world for that discussion.

I gave him a kiss on the head and whispered in his ear “You know there was one thing you could do for me” he looked at me suspiciously “You can encourage the youngest guy to exclude me from bathroom duties!” He gave me a thumbs up and told me he would work on that one for me.

A Single Rose

When I picked up the youngest Muppet on Thursday after school he was smiling from ear to ear, not only because it was the end of the week but because he had in his hands a very large card for me. “Happy Mothers Day!!” he shouted and gave me a huge hug, he handed me the card and I looked at the portrait that he had drawn of me. I glanced up at his teacher and asked if she had helped him draw it. She shook her head “no” and laughed at the surprised look on my face. The youngest guy had been drawing people without bodies or stick men for the longest time, so his detailed drawing of me was a bit of a shock. I hugged him and told him how much I loved the card and his poem and we went to pick up his brothers.

Our weekend was filled with birthday parties, work and play so by the time Saturday night came we were all ready to go to bed early, everyone wanted to have a good start to the week. As I kissed the middle Muppet good night he whispered in my ear “Happy Mothers Day tomorrow Mummy, just in case I forget to tell you in the morning.” I thanked him and kissed him good night and made myself a note to remember to wish my own mother a happy mothers day in the morning.

This morning we all slept in, we rushed through breakfast and made our way out the door in a whirl wind. When we arrived at school the three Muppets made their way to each of their classes and the rest of our day was spent busy with work and school. When I went to pick up the youngest Muppet at the end of the day he had a sour look on his face, I quickly clued in as to why. All of his little friends sat with roses in their hands, I had forgot to order myself roses for mothers day! My husband is usually good about this kind of thing but he had been working the entire last week when the Muppets brought the order form home. I had seen it and thought I should order some just so they didn’t feel bad but I guess it never made the to do list!

“I wanted to get you a flower Mummy and I don’t have one to give you!” the youngest Muppet cried out when I arched him. I told him that it was fine and that mummy didn’t need flowers but his sad little face made my heart break. By the door to the school sat the mothers in charge of the rose sale they were selling the left overs. So the two of us quickly ran to my office and grabbed some money. I gave the youngest guy 10QR and told him to pick out the rose he liked. After he handed the money to the ladies and chose his rose he smelt it and started to hand it to me. He paused for a second and said “It is so beautiful Mummy, can we share it? Can it be our rose?” I laughed and told him that we could share it and we happily walked hand in hand back to my office.

We met the other two Muppets and I went to fix them snack, the oldest gave me a hug and asked me how my day was and apologized for not making me a card. I hugged him back and told him it was no big deal. The middle guy pulled a card he had made from his back pack, he read me the poem and gave me a kiss and I thanked them all for thinking about me on Mother’s Day.

We ran a few errands after we left the school and stopped off at a corner store for something cold to drink. I juggled the packages in my hand trying to get the money from my wallet and the oldest muppet offered to help. He paid the shop owner, and the youngest offered to carry the bag of drinks. As he handed the oldest the change he smiled at me “Three boys” he said “Yes” I replied “Very busy!” he smiled back at me and nodded “Ah” he said “But very lucky” I paused for a moment and looked at the three crazy boys laughing at their own inside jokes beside me and I nodded back to him “I am, very very lucky.”

We drove home in the late day heat, the three boys giggled and made fart sounds and told silly ridiculous jokes and laughed uncontrollably the whole way and at that moment there was no where else that I would rather be.

Being the mother of these three will keep me young, keep me on my toes and always keep me laughing at fart jokes! Happy Mothers Day to all you amazing mothers out there.