An anything day

It's Saturday. It's anything can happen day. Daddy and Sadiecakes already ran out to grab doughnuts (Mom just stared .... ). Trying to see what we are going to do this afternoon. My vote for *naps* was quickly outnumbered. Red Sox have a double headed today in Boston. Just a quiet, lazy day. We need these more often than we think or allow. Jammie day (well, I stay in my jammies Sadie usually changes between 3-4 different princess dresses). Puttering around the house day. Playing in the yard day. Recharge day.

What do you do to recharge? Clear your head. Rest your mind and body.

A little bit of zen from the aquarium

Have a great day --

Learning From My Toddler (or Teaching Moments for Momma)

I'm a turn the other cheek kinda gal. And turn. And turn. And turn. But the Momma Bear in me does come out a-raging when the situation calls. This isn't one of those times but I am sure it's a teaching moment regardless (more for me than the kiddo).

Really. Excited. About. Paint.

Sadiecakes goes to school a few days a week - you know that. She adores it. We drive up the long ramp and every time she shouts *Woo Hoo! We're back!* I had my hesitations and crying fits about putting her in at all.  The fact that she now lists off her friends names as she goes to sleep instead of counting sheep melts my heart.

Outside playtime revamped to inside playtime

Sadie got her first Ouch Report yesterday. She and another child (whose name & gender are withheld, even from me) were playing play dough. Both had a dough and cookie cutters.  Ok, this is going to just get everyone confused - we will say *Clifford the Big Red Dog* wanted all of the play dough. Sadie wasn't exactly game for that. So Clifford tried to take it from her. Sadie firmly said *No, I'm playing with it* and continued making her sheep. Clifford got mad and grabbed her hand with the play dough in it and bit her. ((Here is teaching moment #1, ready??)) She got up from the table with her play dough and went to the teacher. No crying. No yelling. No biting back. Ok, maybe here is the moment - my Momma Bear alert would have gone off and I would have intervened to say the least. Sadie handled the whole thing like a pro, and after a talk with the teacher, the two resumed playing together. The bite did not break the skin; in fact, the only thing on her hands when I picked her up was pink marker and sand.

So we get in the car after collecting her numerous necessities that get hauled back and forth each and every time.  I try to be aloofly inquisitive.  She's 2, I don't know why I thought I had to be so cloak & dagger.  How was you day?  Did you paint?  Play with play dough?  How are your friends?  She answers each question as she skips across the parking lot and into the car. It's just like any other day. So I prod further. I'm asking if anything happened at school? Did she get any owies? Still zilch.

Now fast forward all the way to bed time. I've now been plotting for hours on exactly how to talk to her. She's been playing and reading and singing and dancing. Clearly a better use of time than what I was doing. So she all ready for bed. Teeth brushed. Jammies on. Book picked out. I tell her I want to talk to her for a minute. I want to make sure you're ok. I want to know what happened at school today. Miss Teacher told me you got hurt. She stares at me blankly.  Did someone bite you? Yes. (Break through!). Ok. Who? She then names all 11 other kids. (Damn) Now, let me be clear. I'm not interested in who it is, per se. I want to know that she is ok and that her friendship with *Clifford* is still as great as it was last week.

((Teaching moment #2, hold on to your hats!)) As soon as the incident was resolved - it was done. She was over it. It was a 30 second blip in an otherwise normal day. And I had festered and worried and fretted for hours.  Had it happened with a sibling or cousin, I too, would have been over it in the same 30 seconds.  Kids are going to be kids. They are crazy resilient.  It's our over thinking and fretting (OK. My over thinking. My fretting.) that gets things mixed up and turned about.

Waiting for me at the gate

This morning on the way up the driveway came a voice from the backseat *Woo Hoo! We're back!* My kid rocks.

The Zen of Jammies

You wouldn't know to look at my house that I like things neat and tidy.  You wouldn't know that I hate to go to bed with a single dish in the sink.  Life happens.  You only have 1,440 minutes in a day (I just had to break out the calculator) and you have to use every one of them wisely.  Would I rather finish the dishes or blow bubbles in the front yard?  I will always choose the latter.

The crazy heat wave we have been enduring here in Los Angeles has everyone hyper aware of energy use.  Appliances need to used after 7pm; So, laundry has been a bit of a back burner.  It's ok.  Tonight I caught up on Sadie's hamper.  I had completely forgotten how much I love to wash her clothes.

Fresh out of the dryer - a jumble of color

Before she was born, I must have washed anything that said NB or 0-3 months a dozen times.  Wash, dry, fold.  Yes, I was on bed rest, so laundry kept me seated & busy.  Folding everyone of those little onesies.  Arranging and rearranging her dresser drawers.  Matching up brightly colored socks.  It's calming.  Cathartic.  Hopeful.  Children's clothes are bright and happy and soft right out of the dryer. How can you not have a smile on your face when you match up jammies with flowers and big bright dots all over them?  A tiny little break in your heart when you realize something is too small now won't fit her.  Folding her laundry is the perfect way to end any day.

Jammies

Ready for the closet

Now would someone kindly put them away for me?  I would love to go bed now ....