Friday 5:35 pm. In the kitchen. Dinner is almost done. The rice has a few minutes of cooking left, the chicken is baked. The bread is in the oven, 15 minutes more and it should be golden brown.
Happy laughter comes from the dining room. Well, happy laughter mixed with cries of “no Bennie, don’t eat my paper.” So, to keep Mr. Ben from eating the boys art projects I created a nice barrier. Natalie and Ben play happily on one side while Carlos and Jeremiah work hard on their art projects on the other side.
I look down at my babies and think, “Natalie is a good “Ben entertainer”.” She is busy “making dinner” and cooking up all kinds of yummy delights with the play food and Ben….well he’s a true son of a paper man. He LOVES to eat paper…..any size, shape or color…..crams it into his mouth with abandon.
Carlos looks up from his art project and asks me to check out his cool coloring. He has created a very nice pattern with colors and shapes and is really excited to show it off!! Jeremiah, not to be left out, asks me to look at his project too!
5:45 p.m. — I peek out the window. Stephen should be home any minute. Carefully I step over the “Ben dam” and set the table. Natalie has now joined the big boys and Jeremiah is done with coloring. So he and Natalie are busy unrolling the paper. Another perk of being children of a paper man….free remnants. They are giggling and unrolling. I’m tempted to have them stop, but hey, it’s just a roll of paper and there’s more. They giggle more. And unroll more….and more until the entire floor of the dining room and the entire length of the hall is covered in paper.
The table is set. I stir the rice one last time and check on the bread. Carlos decides that he’s art project is done and unrolling paper is way more fun. Ben also breaches the dam…..wow, look at this….. paper heaven!
5:50 p.m. – Happy cries come from the living room….Stephen is home!
House of Smooches 