Grateful

via Raya Brass Band

One afternoon a few weeks ago, we took the boys (giant stroller and all) to meet a friend at Radegast Beer Hall. There was a great brass band playing and the place was packed with neighborhood people and families. It was a really warm, lovely crowd.

We settled into a booth in the corner, and took turns taking Axel to see the band up close. Back at the table, he settled in with some Peppa while we chatted, but he kept wiggling around to the music, dancing in his seat. "I'm so happy!" he said.

It was probably the cutest thing I've ever heard.

So often, on the weekends especially (and more so in the cold weather, when we are cooped up inside and notice the crumbs on the floor and the gazillion toy cars underfoot and everyone is crying), we get a little frayed around the edges.

But then you have a moment like that, and it's just so crystal clear how very lucky we are. I love that Axel is better and better company, and that he's able to express things like that to us. It makes all my bedraggledness (that's a word, I'm sure of it) worthwhile.

Will is traveling just now and last night it was just me and the fellows. I put them to bed at the usual time, but Axel was still rustling about an hour later. "Are you having trouble sleeping?" I asked. "Yeah," he said, before whispering "I'm in a castle." What a nut.