An unexpected extended weekend

So while we were going about with our lives, I had been suffering due to a muscle pull in my back. It started innocently enough, on Saturday morning when I did a video workout at home. That whole day that we were out, I felt a niggling pull at my tailbone and I even told the husband "I think I overdid my ab exercises this morning cos my tailbone hurts". It was bearable and I thought the ache will go away, like a post-exercise kinda ache... except it didn't. That night, I felt uncomfortable as the pain throbbed in my lower back and the next day (Sunday), I was pretty bedridden. I relinquished all marketing duties to the helper and sought the mother to help. I managed to hobble around still, but was most comfortable lying down and so I did that practically the whole day. I headed to see a doctor and was diagnosed with a muscle strain and besides given muscle relaxants to help manage the pain, I was advised to lie down to not put further pressure on the back. So that was my lazy Sunday. I watched a ton of TV as the husband took the kids out in the PM to visit the sports hub before the SEA Games closed off. 

Due to this injury, I have been out of action at work for three days (today is my third). It's been extremely restful due to little choice and I really am so mindful and wary that our body is a shrine and nothing can be taken for granted. A regular exercise session that I've been doing for months; one wrong movement(s) and here I am - not in a good state. I've been inactive the past few days and am totally earning a temporary title of a "couch potato"; or perhaps "mattress potato" is more apt as I lie down horizontally on the mattress, not even able to sit up on the couch.

While it's been very luxurious, the kids think I'm extreme boring and I've been over-indulgent in my snacking - not a good idea since I'm inactive! It's as if I'm on a pseudo holiday, pigging away and lounging around. I've sat up to attend to work but every time I do so, I need to lie back down to 're-adjust' the sore back because I just feel this tenderness in my lower back. And the over-eating is making me feel very lethargic and I really need to get well soon and regain my regular lifestyle! The good news is that each day, I feel less sore and I can sit up for longer periods of time - but I think a full recovery may be at least another few days.

So, one major perk of being home is being able to be with the little munchkins all day long. Here are some random snippets of them of our day with them yesterday (since they were out for most of the day on Monday).

I hear mutterings and as I peek open my half-asleep eyes, this boy was
lounging on the balcony having a monologue.

I then thought I heard him again (I dozed off) but it was so quiet
I had to sneak to the end of the bed and there he was - trying to fix a diaper onto the "baby"

Painting time

Project Gingerbread man

They found the Superman cape and of course, he had to be Superman

We managed a 3-bus-stop-ride to the library

Nap

I cannot explain why watching them nap brings such quiet joy to me. It's as if they are immortalised in this moment, etched in my brain as the little beings that they are, so vulnerable and how I am able to protect them in our home. I love observing their features, hearing their quiet breathing; and when I kiss them they usually shift and I smile as I see them rub their noses as my hair probably tickled them.

And that's how our day goes; doing something, nothing, anything and I've picked up so much growth in them. They fight and shout too much; are so impatient but when they do play together - creating games to play with each other; making up rhymes and silly things that kids say - it's hilarious.

My babies are so big already, and I know I sound wistful as I say it but it's because I do feel exactly that.

As I come to this last day of my unexpectedly long weekend, I am treasuring the regular time I have with them babies; because nothing beats just being together.