Bonding Time

Within the past year or so Rob and I began acknowledging that E is more bonded to him and P is more bonded to me. We have taken steps to find ways to bond with the other child so that we can have strong, rock solid bonds with both boys. Sometimes that is easy to do and sometimes it is hard. P and I have a lot in common, as do Rob and E, so that parent/child bond is more natural. But I do my best to compliment both boys equally, give affection to both boys equally, spend QUALITY time with both boys equally, etc.
Yesterday Rob was going to pick the boys up from school and head to deer camp for the night. I'm not gonna lie. I was looking forward to having 24 hours to myself. Although I love spending time with my boys (Rob is included in "my boys") on the weekends, I also love having ME time...going to bed early (or late), watching what I want on TV (or not having the TV on at all), sleeping in (or waking up early), drinking my coffee in solitude. BUT, Rob got called out to investigate an accident, meaning I had to get the boys from carpool. That gave them just enough time to get home and have E scheme with his best friend to have a sleepover at his friend's house for the night. I could tell Rob was disappointed that E chose his BFF over his daddy but I also know that it has been good bonding time for P and Rob. It has been nice for me and E as well. This morning, when he got home, we went to a local farmers market, where he bought a birdhouse with the money my parents had sent him. Then we got donuts and bought birdseed. We came home and painted the birdhouse before I made him his favorite food for lunch...rolled tacos (apparently I got the wrong kind, though, and they were too spicy but I tried). Once his best friend got home, I took both boys to make slime and out for ice cream sundaes. It hasn't been all 1:1 bonding time with me and E but it was nice to have some alone time with him this morning. That has been my hardest adjustment with him being in Kinder now- not having 1:1 time with him in the afternoons.
I know parent/child relationships (well, ALL relationships), ebb and flow. Some times E and I will be closer than other times and some times Rob and P will be closer than other times. But we put forth the effort and I hope that's what our boys remember when they are grown and out of the house. That we both tried to do out best, to love our best and to bond the best with BOTH boys!