Moms, you know the scenario-- snotty nose, cough, tired eyes from several nights of restless sleep, but no fever (unless 99 degrees counts for something), no vomit, no major red flags that require a stay home day from school. It's one of those times where "mom instincts" kick in. You just know your baby needs a day off to rest and recover. And that's the kind of day Lucas and I had.
We started with games. If playing games is a love language, it's at the top of this little guy's list. We worked our way through his favorites: Spot It, Connect 4, Checkers, Jenga, Crazy 8's, and Chutes & Ladders. He is a tough competitor!
Next, he wanted to "bake a cake." I rummaged through my pantry and found this Red Velvet cake mix. Perfect. He loves to help me in the kitchen. Cracking eggs is a special skill he has mastered. And don't get me started on stirring. He can stir and mix with the best of them. 
Next up was coloring. When he was a toddler, he was too busy to sit down and draw. But this year in particular, he has found a real love of art. He enjoys creating, drawing and coloring, and will sit still for long periods of time to focus on his work. The top photo is a mother/son collaboration featuring Mike reaching up for a napkin before digging into a giant ice cream sundae. The bottom work was a guided activity--I told him to draw a scene where everything has "normal colors." Then draw the same scene where everything has "not normal colors."
After the movie he wanted to do a science experiment. I went with a super easy one. Pour milk into a pie plate. Add four drops of food coloring. Add a drop of dish washing liquid, then use a toothpick or straw to swirl the colors around. It makes a cool tie-dyed effect. 
He had a good time predicting what would happen next,talking about color mixing, warm vs. cool colors...it was simple, but he enjoyed it. 
Like staring at a lava lamp, it was hard to look away.
Next up--books. This is Mom's favorite and Lucas loves it too. He's reading now (simple stories), so he likes to try to point out words he knows or read a sentence or two. Current faves: the Teacher from the Black Lagoon series, Frances the Badger books, and Mister Muster. 
We had so much fun just the two of us!
And this eventually happened shortly after his sisters came home. 
Later that evening, we were snuggling on the couch and he randomly told me, "I enjoy loving you, Mom."
He wasn't sick enough to just lay pathetically on the couch, so I let him guide our plans for the day. What did my boy want to do?
Later, after the cake cooled, we made cream cheese frosting to complete our baking experience.
At this point, Mom needed a break and we needed some lunch, so it was movie time. He vegged out on the couch and watched Turbo while I got our lunch ready and straightened up the house a bit.
Heart. Burst.
I sure love this kid. And I'm happy to report he is feeling much better. :)
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