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So I've made more of an effort over the past couple of days to be more present with my kids and I already feel better.  Tuesday afternoon we went to the mall and spent over four hours between the play area and the local library (it's weird, but our most convenient local branch is actually inside the mall).  I even made a pit stop at the shoe store to replace the clunky old construction boots that Alex has outgrown.  Both kids had a ball and I realized that aside from the 90 seconds it took me to find myself a book at the library (I picked the Time Traveler's Wife which is already great), I had no agenda of my own other than to show my kids a good time.  It's something I obviously need to do more often and it reminded me that the easiest way to pull myself away from my to do list is to get out of the house.

Not that I didn't bring my list with me!  I have a Swiss cheese brain that requires me to always have a pen and paper ready just in case I think of something I don't want to forget.  But yesterday instead of using my list to keep track of my own agenda, I started jotting down some notes about the kids, mainly Stuff I Want to Remember.

First up was how Alex always offers to hold his sister's hand in the car when she's being cranky, followed by the funny way he goes from quickly stuffing his face with food to saying "I'm done!" in an exaggerated voice almost as if he'd surprised himself by eating so much.  People are always commenting on his hair.  It seems like every third stranger says, "You've got some great curly hair there!" and he always answers the same way, by nodding in agreement and saying, "I know!"  I also noted that he keeps a steady musical dialogue going when he plays by himself, either humming or singing or making crazy car noises.  Its one of those things I find annoying when I'm in a bad mood and endearing when I'm actually paying attention.  Yet another reminder that I need to be more present.  He also lives to make new friends and fortunately, it comes easily to him.

With Genoa my list was long with adorable vocabulary, like how she can't say "Alex" quite yet and instead calls her brother, "Assy."  It cracks everybody up.  She knows the difference between #1 and #2, but yet when it's time to go, she always yelps the same thing, "I need to go poop on the potty!"  I love the way her chubby feet are so thick that you can see their pudginess through the holes in her Crocs.  When it's brushed and not sticky with oatmeal, her hair does this adorable thing where it flips up on one side but not the other.  Her hands are like smooth little starfishes and she can't get enough of her favorite song by Justin Roberts, "It's your birthday," which she will beg for endlessly and then sing in her loudest voice, always a few beats behind the melody.  Best of all, though, is the way she idolizes her brother and follows him around like a puppy dog copying his every movement.  By the time she's in school, she'll be both a Master Jedi and a wannabe construction worker.

I really don't want to miss any of this.  I'm going to keep reminding myself to pay attention.