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The Joy of Playing

I'm linking up with Kelly's Korner today for the topic "The Joy of Playing with Our Kids".  I've always considered myself to be a big kid at heart.  I've always loved to play with toys, and I remember thinking how I couldn't wait to have children so I'd have an excuse to play.  I've always loved to color, play with play-doh and do puzzles, and even long before I was married and had children I would sometimes keep that stuff on hand "for when my friends with kids came over".  Truth is, sometimes I would break out the crayons or play-doh with nary a child in sight.

When the girls were born, I couldn't wait for them to be old enough to play with toys, then I couldn't wait for them to be old enough to color and play with Play-doh, then I couldn't wait for them to be 3 so they could play with all those 3+ toys like Barbies, Polly Pockets, etc.

I love playing with them with their toys, or playing games, doing puzzles, coloring, doing crafts, or playing with Play-doh.  Unfortunately, I don't really do it as often as I'd like.  I always intend to play with them way more than I actually do.  There is just always so much to do that I just don't have time.
Of course, I could let all the housework slide and just play with them instead, knowing that they're only small once and the house will be there forever, but if I get too behind on housework I just get way too stressed out, besides, we NEED clean clothes and clean dishes, and the litter box can only go ignored for so long.  I need to have a nice balance, and for the most part, I do, but there are still lots of times that the girls will ask me to play with them and I'll tell them I want to but I have to do X first and I always feel so bad.  They are pretty good about playing together, or sometimes separately, but they still want me to play with them a lot.

Another obstacle to me playing with them as much as I'd like is that almost every day one or more friends will come over to play, so they end up playing with their friends instead of with me.  But obviously it's good for them to have several friends to play and build relationships with.  I do sometime play with them and their friends, but usually I just take advantage of them being occupied to get something done! :)

Paul is really good about playing with them, too.  He plays with them in the evenings while I'm cooking dinner and again while I'm cleaning up.  Their favorite thing to play is vet.  Paul is the vet, Olivia is the field nurse, and Kayley is the pet owner and brings all her animals in.

When I play with them, it's usually Polly Pockets, Barbies or My Little Pony.  So fun.

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