A calm Nikko day

Denis was off again today (Memorial Day Weekend) so we took advantage of another person being around and got the kids to play outside before lunch. The weather was cooler than yesterday. I loved it, but it wasn't quite shorts weather for the kids. Since the cars were in the driveway I moved the baby gate all the way to the front door and I really liked the space we had. The boys ran around, Nikko played with his tricycle and Ronin wanted rides in the umbrella stroller. I took out the more updated double stroller because the boys began fighting for rides. Surprisingly, Nikko sat in the back where the sit and stand platform was. He didn't use the platform, but held onto the harness and didn't seem to mind sitting backward. Ronin loved sitting in the front and having his view unobscured. We were all strolling around the driveway for a few turns, then Denis decided to do work inside and I took the boys for a walk around two blocks. They both were content and didn't try to squirm out of the stroller. I spotted a dandelion along the way and gave it to Nikko. When we got back, there wasn't as much as a fight as there usually is when it's time to go inside. Ronin was a little wriggly, but Nikko seemed to go along with the plan. After lunch we had naptimes going on. I put in the Signing Time DVD for Nikko. There are 3 of them and he was used to the first one. I put in the 3rd one, which had the same beginning, but used Everyday Signs (hot, cold, ice cream, banana, cookie, girl, boy to name a few). He didn't seem to mind it, but I think I'll go back to the 1st DVD so he can keep on learning the other original signs (more, eat, baby, car, airplane, flower). Nikko actually fell asleep on the couch armrest while watching TV, so I wonder what made him so tired. By 5pm we were running late to get out the door to go to the in-laws' house. Denis' mom had fallen down the stairs two days ago and wasn't up to par for cooking the Friday dinner for everyone but we still wanted to go visit her. Denis had plans to cook lentil soup and I brought chicken nuggets for the boys. She was in pain but was on pain meds, had hurt her elbow and her left hip but didn't break any bones. Nikko didn't finish his nuggets and was eager to jump ahead and scarf down veggie straws. When he saw Vunge's homemade cookies he was practically starving. Even though we cut Nikko off after he went ahead and grabbed my cookie off my plate, Kenny slipped him some cookie remnants on the side. I didn't blame him, nor did I stop him because I didn't mind that Nikko and Kenny were having some interaction. In essence, they were bonding and if cookies were the way to do it, I supported it. When it was time to go home, Nikko was ultra clingy to me. I think he got scared a little bit when my FIL tried to tickle Nikko; he laughed at first, but looked around and didn't see me so he freaked out. I thought he would be skittish until we walked out the door but at the end I told him to go kiss his Lola and he walked over to her and kissed her. I told him to go kiss his Lolo and while he was whimpering protests he still walked over to him and prominently kissed him too. I was surprised and thrilled that he did that. I really hope he meant it.