Days these days are unpredictable. I am learning to either not set expectations, or just set very low expectations. Like I have said before no expectations, no disappointments. :)
When you got very little sleep, your house is a wreck, you feel yuck in the pajamas you soaked through thanks to lovely post partum night sweats (just keeping it real folks) - what do you do?
Sit in the middle of your living room and cry along with your newborn, while your toddler joyfully throws even more toys all over the living room floor? Sure, that's a good option, but it doesn't really accomplish much. And while it may be a necessity some days, today I felt there were better options.
I joined the toddler in her strewn toy crazed fun. In our dirty pjs, smack in the middle of the toy insanity.
We built with Legos, played her piano, bounced balls, gave her toys "check ups" with her doctors kit, and colored.
I entered into the insanity, and found joy in the eyes of my little girl. She won't remember these days, but I am making memories with her that I will treasure forever. And (I hope and pray) these days are laying the relational foundation withy girls to carry us for years to come.
Before you start thinking I was seeing my life/day through rose colored glasses, trust me I wasn't.
My usually sweet, easy going newborn was screaming and fidgeting in my arms, which disturbed her big sister to no end, producing lots of "no mommy no baby no mommy no baby! Uh oh uh oh uh oh!"
In addition to this I was reminded of our complete failure to learn our colors and abc's this summer. We've tried, but apparently I am not tapping into her learning style.
For example:
I point to a capital A and ask Ellie Faith to tell me what letter it is. She does her own version of downward dog, making her body look like an A.
Ok E for effort.
Next I point to a B, to which she enthusiastically says,"2!"
Maybe I should have started teaching her to count first.
And finally, when asked to identify the "C" she says,"Car!"
Perhaps sight reading is the way to go.
She gets E and Q right every time. However, let's not dwell on the fact that my mom taught her those in a matter of days.
As for colors, everything is initially blue or purple, followed by an occasional black or brown. Oh and yellow is "shine." Apparently most primary colors are just boring to her.
So yeah, trying to make our playtime fun and educational is not making me feel like mother of the year.
Yet again, I eventually realize that its ok. We have plenty of years ahead where I am going to wish my girls were innocent, oblivious, even ignorant to aspects of the world around them.
And surely my girls won't be that kid showing up to kindergarten not knowing their colors or abc's, right???
Right now, I am exhausted. My house is picked up (note I didn't say clean) and the laundry is done (thanks nap time - don't ever leave me!). But for what started out as a rough day, really turned itself around.
Quinn and I curled up in bed for a few minutes just to cuddle.
And then big sister woke up and joined us.
Followed by some singing of "Shine"
... Also known as This little light of mine.;)
Nothing that happened today was worthy of being pinned to Pinterest.
And that's ok. It's life.
It's my life. My crazy, messy, blessed life.
Oh goodness! This sounds just like my life! Although we tried for numbers and colors this summer. And yeah. Most things are blue. And counting was fun the first two weeks but now it's boring. Lol :) my littlest is 3 weeks too and I'm just starting to intentionally play with my toddler again. Way to go to you! You're doing great. :) {passes the virtual bag of chocolate}
ReplyDeleteThanks Erika! We will look back and laugh at these days (I already do by the most evenings.) Good luck with your little ones!:)
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