I NEVER thought it could happen....

...falling asleep at the dinner table!

We’ve all seen pictures of children falling asleep at the dinner table and even clips on America’s Funniest Videos of kids eating dinner with their heads bobbing as they are trying to put a fork of food in there mouth and catch some zzz’s all at the same time. I always thought it was so funny, but never believed it would happen. Until yesterday.

My sister-in-law watches Dax for me while I work on Monday and Tuesday mornings, and I watch her little guy Jett on Wednesday afternoons. The boys are three months apart and have always had a love/hate relationship. Dax is a loveable kid, but he is sometimes real rough, not a great sharer and plays really hard. He goes after what he wants and pretty much bull-dozes anything, or anyone, in his way. Jett on the other hand is just as loveable, but totally opposite. He is sensitive and gets his feelings hurt. So the two of them playing together really ended up being Dax taking over and Jett crying. Kinda exhausting and not so fun to deal with.

Oh, and Dax calls Jett “Da”. He’s not saying “duh” it’s just the way it sounds when he says Jett. J’s are hard for a 2-year old, right?

Well, when Wyatt was born Dax stopped going over to play because I was home and my sister in law wasn’t working for a little while. After 6 weeks, the boys really started missing each other like crazy. Jett would ask for me and Dax and Dax would see Jett and give him hugs (which never happened) and the boys were all of a sudden BFF’s! It was great! It made it so fun for them to play and so much more enjoyable to be able to watch them play rather than have to referee.

Yesterday was another gorgeous day and Jett came over at about 12:15. Dax was already outside playing and Jett quickly ran to play. They played soccer, basketball, played in the clubhouse, played in the cars, played on bikes, played with the wheelbarrow, sat on lawnchairs next to me and read books. I filled a big tub of soapy water, gave them rags, and they washed ALL the sand toys, the walls, the orange tree, and anything else that looked like it needed water, including themselves. I filled up a trillion water balloons and let them throw them as far as they could. They even thought picking up the broken balloons was fun. They were non-stop and not one of them cried all afternoon and there was not one fight! They played like this all the way until Jett got picked up at about 4:30. I don’t think Dax came inside once that whole time and Jett only did to ask for some snacks. They played long and hard!

Austin wasn’t home so Dax and I were on our own for dinner. We were eating spaghetti and I left Dax at the table to finish his up. He had eaten a huge bowl and was very quite. I just figured he was loving the homemade sauce I was able to make while they played outside. Usually he is up and down a few times from the table to see what’s going on, but not last night. I would glance around the corner to see how he was doing and could see the back of him and could tell he was eating just fine and doing great. I was distracted by a TV show I was catching up on (I’m totally addicted to the Biggest Loser) and totally forgot about him eating. After a few minutes I realized I hadn’t heard him for a few minutes. I looked over and he was sitting in his chair VERY still. I walked over to the table where his spaghetti was completely gone, his fork was on the floor and Dax was literally falling asleep in his chair. His was sitting on his knees, his hand were completely limp in his lap and his chin was just about to fall into his chest. I bent down next to him careful not to startle him and I laughed as I lifted his head and there was spaghetti sauce from his forehead down to his neck. I knew he loved that sauce!

I wanted to hurry and grab my camera, but with my luck he would fall asleep and fall off the chair while I ran to get it and of course earlier that morning the battery had died when I was downloading some pictures! Arggg!! Plus, I did want to pass on the chance of picking up my “baby” and having him fall asleep in my arms because that never happens! His clothes were still wet from the fun he had had outside, and I just wanted to stare at his sleepy spaghetti sauce face. It was one of those moments that make you SO happy to be a mom!

If you are still reading this post after that ginormous story, let me make it worth your while (I just had to write it down since I missed the photo op). This spaghetti sauce that I keep mentioning is the best homemade sauce ever and I am going to share it with you!! The first time I made it was when my grandma and grandpa Kreipl were visiting in Utah a few years back and it was developed by a friend of theirs for her college thesis in culinary school. You’ll LOVE it!

Brown---
1 lb Italian Sausage
1 lb hamburger

Chop---
3 carrots
1 green pepper
1 small onion
3 stalks celery

1 can mushroom
1 can tomato paste
2 cans tomato soup

Combine all ingredients and simmer for 2 ½ to 3 hours. Season with garlic salt, salt and pepper. Serve with spaghetti.

Now, this will make a ton and you can freeze the left over’s, but beware you may have to try mine because the secret ingredient is my grandfathers very own seasoning that is forever a family secret. But I think you most definitely will get a hint at how great this sauce is!! Enjoy!