My world overwhelmed me this morning. Nothing big, just little things but enough to frazzle me. Getting us all ready and out the door for swimming lessons. The never-ending clutter. Does leaving a box on the floor really mean that it has been put away? "Where are those red mittens? I don't have time to knit another pair of mittens before Monday's field trip." I grabbed my camera as I ran out the door.
A trip to the market for brunch after swimming may have filled our bellies but didn't do much to better the day.
I felt that every two minutes I was having to ask them to stop some inappropriate behaviour. Being surrounded by breakables in the gift shop didn't help. I don't like being that mother and to be honest, I don't often have to be. Maybe that's why I find it so frustrating when I seem to be pushed into it. I'm also pretty sure that they don't like having that mother with them either.
We left early from the market. It seemed to be the only way to end our present behaviour. (Yes, our behaviour. I'm not blaming it on them. It was just one of those days for all three of us.) To top off the trip, the stem on ournewly bought pumpkin broke as I was putting it in the trunk. I chased the pumpkin across the parking lot . . . downhill. Any other day I would have thought it was funny. not today.
And then on our way home, we saw this . . .
And next to the field was a playground.
Boy, did we need this. Suddenly the day became one where challenges were made and overcome. A day of firsts on the monkey bars.
They needed the time and space to run, jump, climb and sometimes tumble on their heads. I needed the time to breathe. We enjoyed each other again.
And his mittens? In his jacket pocket. smile
We have had days like this so many times. Yesterday morning was a carbon copy of this. I'm so glad the playground helped. I felt for you when the pumpkin rolled away x
ReplyDeleteThe complexity of our days as mothers!
ReplyDeleteOh how I love fall...and old playgrounds...
ReplyDeleteI think that was part of it. That it was an old playground. Sure, there was a fancy new part with bright colours and all that. But the rusty climbing structure ( that doesn't sound safe but it was) was their favourite part. It became their hideaway.
ReplyDeleteBeen there in "that day" as a Mother many times over the years...it's always funny though how something small...like a playground can turn everything around.
ReplyDeleteGlad your day improved! :-)
Tara, I experienced the almost the same situation yesterday. Going a little stir crazy with us all being sick, after the doctors, didn't feel like coming home to our stuffy house so what did we do? I took them to the pumpkin patch, call me crazy but it was just what the 3 of us needed in so many ways..
ReplyDeleteOh dear, the old rolling pumpkin routine, poor you! Did the little guys find your chase amusing? I'm sad to say I was THAT mother for far too much of my children's childhood. Trying to loosen up with my grandaughter, who is a treasure - until we visit little shops. Then her delight is to hide, under tables, in window displays, behind counters, anywhere and everywhere. Inappropriate indeed!
ReplyDeleteyour blog is beautiful. i like your honest writing and lovely pictures. this post is so relevant for all us mommies. wow. i know so what you mean about that mother we don't want to be and you're sure they don't want us to be that mommy either. but, like you said, thankfully most of the time we don't have to be. : ) thanks for your visit to my blog earlier... will be fun to yarn along. : )
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