what is seen:
Enraptured children listening to a Christmas classic, read by Daddy.
what is unseen:
Bored child on top of sofa....
Happy Weekend!
December 2008
losing control
Today we broke out our "Rice Table" for the first time this chilly season. Basically it's a long plastic tub full of rice and toys to play and pour with (i.e. indoor sandbox). We use this as a sensory activity in the Winter when it's too cold to head outside. I spread a large camping tarp on the living room floor, roll the rice table out, then spend the next 15-20 minutes practicing deep breathing exercises in the hope that spilled rice won't go shooting across the room.
We've never had a throwing rice incident (knock on wood), but many accidental spills. Oh yes, hence the tarp. But since we have the tarp, why do those little spills bother me?
Control. I think that's what it boils down to - I'm a control freak in rehab. And the rehab center is my house - with a 5, 4, and 3 year old administering the therapy. I've come a long way in my recovery, but I still have a long way to go. Luckily I have my "in-house" therapists with me for the next 15 years to help me out.
Jonathan also had control issues to work on today. For a variety of reasons, he wasn't able to watch a video with the other two children this morning. His little heart was broken and he was OUT of control! I could completely empathize, having had my own rice table experience earlier.
I think it just goes to show, we're going through similar things at different levels. Me and these little people, working our issues out together one day at a time. I'm grateful for second, third, and fourth chances to try again.
But it might be a few days before the rice table makes another appearance in the living room.
what is seen: what is unseen
Ever noticed how some movies (think romantic comedies), books, or tv shows leave you feeling like you're seeing all the glamour of life without the reality of the challenges? I thought it might be fun to introduce a series displaying BOTH the glamour AND the challenges of motherhood. So here goes...
what is seen:
Cookies for the children's Christmas party tomorrow. Lovely and festive, gently browning in the oven.
what is unseen:
Me - completely stressing out in the kitchen, because the dough is cracking, this is already our 2nd batch that has had issues, and we still don't have nearly enough cookies for 40+ people! The children had already left me, bored by the process and all the false starts, and I was left to sort it out alone.
Steve arrived home to absolutely nothing for any of us to eat for dinner, a disturbed wife in the kitchen, and this in the living room:
(In case you can't tell, this is pretty much every toy we own spread on the floor.)
So remember: what is seen is not always the full reflection! But hey, I'll know how to plan better for next year. (Yes, I went out and bought some ready-made Pillsbury cookie dough today.)
learning: out and about
Amazingly, today was a mild day - almost 60 degrees compared to 30. Which led to an impromptu trip to the zoo. There we were, surrounded by amazing creatures to observe. But what fascinated my children the most? A large, hollow log lying on the side of the path. I have to admit, it was pretty cool. Big enough to crawl through and throw leaves into.
Still, there's the very adult part of me that wants to say, "But we came here to see animals!" What is it within children that urges them to do what we adults say just shouldn't be done? I want to call it annoying. But I must call it creativity. Where and when did I lose mine along the way? I think I can regain it, if I allow these little ones to teach me.
