Mommy Zen

(Written April 28 - forgot to post!)

So Kris has been out of town for the last two days.  I think this is the first time since his return from deployment in February that I’ve been home alone with the kids.  I can’t believe how in just six short weeks I can lose all of my single-parenting skills.  I mean all of them.  I did not prepare myself or my day well to do this alone again.  I should check the lunar calendar, maybe it’s a full moon.  That’s the only other reasonable explanation I can think of for the blatant disregard of my authority that my children have been displaying these last 48 hours.

M wouldn’t nurse or eat solids at lunch.  She’s been refusing solids for the past three days… nursing fine, but swatting at the spoon and shaking her head.  She’s seven months old and has an opinion already.  I don’t know if C’s deaf or is just that selective with his hearing… everything I ask of him is either ignored or rebutted in some fashion.  Don’t argue with me!  You are four!  You just turned four!  Look at me, son!  Ahhh!  (I didn’t say any of that to him, except the “look at me” part.) Then there is my two-year-old, E, who is precious and sweet one moment, but turns on a dime into either a mischievous imp or a nails-on-a-chalkboard whiner.  Throughout the day, I find that my jaw is clenched so hard, that I need to crowbar to release it. 

                                                                                    

And then…

It’s bath time.  C and E went up the stairs ahead of me.  I turned the corner behind them to take M to her room for a new diaper and jammies.  While I changed her I reminded myself that this parenting thing is supposed to be fun, that I want to enjoy my babies, and that I need to unlock my jaw… again.  So, before I fed M and put her down, I went to see what the two crazies were up to.  I also wanted to let them know I would be in M’s room and to play quietly until bath time.  What I came upon was exactly what I needed to see to calm me, release my furrowed brow and bring back my smile… two naked kids in an empty bath tub, playing nicely with their bath toys, waiting for water.  And it even gets better.  I asked if they needed to go potty, and C said, “We already did!”  We already did?  Wha?? Sure enough, pee in both the big and little potties.  My potty-training E had zero accidents today, and went by herself before their bath. 

Every mom needs moments of zen like this.  After a rough day, that was mostly due to my missing single-parenting skills, this scene was a gift.  Hmmm… what other gifts did I receive today?  I know there have to be more that I’ve overlooked due to the condition of my jaw…  E gave M kisses all day long (and only tried to pick her up once.) C literally rolled right over M’s head and made her cry, but later he laid on the floor with her and she laughed and giggled with delight at his attention.  The older two devoured their dinner and both ate a big spoonful of peas.  That was huge.  Still working on the “eat your veggies” mantra.  And finally, after the bath tub delight, I brought little M back to her room to nurse and she went right to sleep.  

So, I guess, it really wasn’t a bad a day afterall. 

Touché, little ones.  Touché.