Listen - 31 Things Day 19

I LISTEN to the windows rattle as the boys wake up and open their door. // I LISTEN to the boys fighting over how many moons Jupiter and Saturn have. I am asked to referee by looking it up on the Internet. (66 and 62, respectively.) // I LISTEN to Selena Gomez & The Scene in the car on the way to school at the request of the boys. They tell me, “Sube el volumen” a couple of different times.  // I LISTEN to pigeons cooing and really wish I could find (and destroy) their nest.  // I LISTEN to talk radio when I remember. I like chatter in the background when I am home alone, although I often forget to tune in. My friend Bree’s family always had WCCO talk radio on in the kitchen (even when they weren’t home, if I recall correctly). I would love to be in that habit. I loved walking into their kitchen and hearing the radio. // I LISTEN to music sometimes. Mostly with the kids. Mostly in the car and mostly when Daddy isn’t home. He doesn’t like background music. // I LISTEN for the gas truck all morning, running from window to window trying to determine if the one I hear is on the inside or outside of the complex. There are three false alarms before I finally see him. // I LISTEN to the typical chatter as I pick the kids up from school: how much homework they have, which of their friends have cell phones already, Nico contradicting everything as his grouchiness increases exponentially with his hunger. // I LISTEN to Agustín say Nico hit him. // I LISTEN to Nico say Agustín is bothering him. // I LISTEN to the boys chase each other around the coffee table. // I LISTEN to a ball hitting the walls and the stairs and the doors, over and over, as Nico practices his technique in the house. // I LISTEN to Agustín making explosion noises as he plays and remember that someday he’ll be all grown up and I won’t hear those noises in the background all day long. // I LISTEN to the sound of hundreds of Legos hitting each other as Agustín digs through his stash, looking for the perfect piece. // I LISTEN to Agustín’s giggles and laugh literally ring and peal through our house. When I hear him laugh I can’t help but laugh also. // I LISTEN to myself sound calm when what I really want to do is scream at the boys, and then I listen to myself sound upset when I think I’ve got it under control. // I LISTEN to Nico blowing through a whistle and wish I weren’t listening.