Lesson Learned

The biggest downside to Jared going back to work today? Both girls spent all morning asking for Dad. They were not happy to hear that it was just me.

Emma was in timeout within 5 minutes of waking up this morning. And then she basically just fingerpainted with her yogurt. She asked me for a banana and once I peeled it and gave it to her lost interest.

Maddie woke up in tears, really clingy. The sippy cup I gave her at breakfast hurt her teeth so she didn't want THAT one. She grabbed my cup of water off the table and spilled it all over the house as she carried it around.

I was feeling frustrated, exhausted and overwhelmed by about 8:15. So after they finished eating I loaded them up into the bike trailer and went for a ride to a nearby park. We hung out there for over an hour.

Maddie's depth perception is not great, and the playground was very uneven. As she walked around the playground she found herself sitting on her bum a lot. But everytime she fell down, she never cried, just took a few minutes to play with the rocks on the ground. She would make a little pile, dig a hole or just run them through her fingers. And she would glance up at me with the happiest look on her face, like she intended to sit down on the ground with the rocks all along.

I couldn't help but wish I was more like that. When I get knocked down, I get grumpy. My kids were honestly just being kids this morning and I was so frustrated. What I should have done when Emma made a mess with her yogurt? Help her "color" a picture with it. It was already mess, why get mad? I should have made a game out of the banana. And Maddie only spilled WATER. Heaven forbid. Also, as for Maddie being "clingy", one of the things I love about Maddie is how much she cuddles with me, and I usually love just holding her.

Anyway, I changed my attitude. And when Maddie cried the whole way home from the park in the bike trailer, poked Emma in the eye and made her cry, too, I honestly laughed. Because my life is always an adventure with my kids. And I'm grateful for that.