Painting

Kate stayed home sick today. A cold has been traveling through the household, and with her its manifested in a couple of late-night nosebleeds, so we kept her home today. So what was nice was she was home but actually feeling fine, so we could do some fun things.

First we cleaned her closet. May not sound fun, but is because it's kind of a trip down memory lane. Backyardigans stuffed toys. Baby, her first real doll. American Girl accessories. Other stuffed toys through the years. Clothing, too small, hand me downs too large, or forgotten -- "That's where that was!" We emptied it all out, then divided it up: tag sale. Save with special things. Back in the closet in a neat way to be enjoyed a day or week or month from now.

We found old sneakers that are too small, Halloween costumes and accessories from yesteryear, old backpacks from 1st and 2nd grades. Small closet! But big with memories.

After we finished going through everything, we put the good stuff back, other stuff away. Cleaned her room up brand new so we could spend the coming days filling it up with more things we'll probably sort through again next year, or the year after that.

Painting is a regular activity when we're both home and not busy. I got out one of my old Port Cester Youth Baseball League t-shirts -- the usual choice, and indeed she specified it -- for her to wear. She got out the paints, the brushes, the paper.

She painted me and her, her with a sweep of hair, me with my dog-ear side pieces. I painted the whole family ("Don't forget Riley-boo," she said), her with yellow hair, Jack with spikes brown hair, Emily with a smile, me with stubble. She loved it, though she pointed out, "Mom's hair isn't yellow." Well, it's close.

Then we cleaned up the paints and set the pictures aside to dry.

Katie

Katie spent some time last weekend building a gym in our basement. It was a modest amount of construction; just setting up an area to work out, with her as personal trainer. There was a (low) balance beam, mats for yoga and somersaults and cartwheels, and another area with a giant exercise ball. And of course a cashier, where we dutifully paid our $1 fees.

I think her signs were the best part."Kate's workout sessions! Come see me!" "Free notepads!" "Free massage!" And my favorite: "I help get workout-y muscles!" She had another welcoming pets, which incorporated the reality that we keep Riley's crate and some of her chew toys downstairs: "You think I don't have dog toys and cages?" read the sign. "Yeah I do!"

I'm a healthy guy, so I signed up for a session. Kate texted me when it was my turn (way more professional than yelling through the house). I went downstairs, paid my $1, and she walked me through a bunch of exercises. She was very encouraging at the things I couldn't do: touching my toes, somersaults, balancing on the balance beam. She had a natural ability to make me feel OK about my athletic limitations. Yoga was the best part. As we finished each exercise, she said, "Good!" and breezed us along to the next one.

At the end, I got a free hand massage. This involved sticking my hand in a bucket of plastic art beads. Very soothing! I also got a free notepad (as promised!) which I believe was already mine, but that's OK.

Put Kate to bed that night. We sat in my room, at opposite ends of the bed, each with a pillow up. Kate said, "Do teacher reading." She explained that this was when the teacher would read a page, then hold up the book so the class could see the pictures. So that's what I did. Teacher reading. Then it was bedtime, and I kissed her goodnight and put her to bed.