Every so often, I have a moment of Mommy Zen
I step outside to find my toddler
still in his footie pjs
playing in the dogs' water dish
And instead of hustling him back inside to get him changed
Instead of worrying about the mess
Instead of leaping to No
I thought, "It's only water."
Even when he climbed into the sandbox
To play with his big brother
who yelled "He's all wet!"
I said, "It's only water."
"It's only water."
I let my independent, determined
joyful little guy
be all that
because
Finally
I understood
It's only water
What's your latest moment of Zen?
20 comments:
Love it! I could really learn a lesson from your book of Zen-ness:) I'm usually too busy yelling, taking stuff away or cleaning up messes to ever really step back and live in that moment. But it's never too late, right?
I think more then letting him do it is the realization that you can let things like that go and still be alright.
My moment would be when I see A crawl over to the playroom just to watch the boys play. She sits there at the foot of the stairs and babbles at them while they play. The best part is they interact w/her and give toys she can "chew on". Those are my zen moments.
Actually, this was my moment of zen exactly! I literally took Lboy outside, we played in the sand, then he dumped the dog's water bowl on himself, got back in the sandbox & then jumped in the baby pool. And I just decided to let it happen! Now we have the diaper off, he's fed, & still not dressed...So I'm still in that moment!
I just love him!
Pamela - It's NEVER too late.
Candice - Exactly. I was okay. It was tough, but I was okay. LOVE watching my 3 play together!
Kate - SOO fun! And good for you!
Mombshell - Oh, me too. Me too.
So cute. My four year old daughter did the exact same thing yesterday. Playing under the sprinklers, with sand at her feet - I wanted to say no, but I didn't. Good for you and thanks for sharing your zen moment.
Its so nice when you come to that point. I hit it a while back and life is a lot more enjoyable for all in the backyard.
I love it that you caught it all in pix. I feel like Pamela most days... but every once in a while I say to myself what's the big deal? Thanks for the reminder ('cuz I need it today!)
i'm totally zen then because ava's favorite hang out is the dog's water bowl!
I just love this post! As a new mother I was so unable to relax about things but I think I am finally getting it. My daughter discovered the joys of washing things today, using the little sink in our half bathroom and her stepping stool and I just let her do it, because as you say, it's only water. I could not have done that last year. I think our water utility bill is going to increase quite a bit though if she plays this new game every day!
Love it. Sometime I need to de-zen myself. If I did, I might just find myself actually CLEANING!
Today's moment was when Soleil insisted on going for a walk - in the rain. Sigh. I am a bit of a weather wimp, but I donned my rain boots just for her and off we went.
I wouldn't have noticed how incredible the freshly soaked neighbourhood gardens smelled if I we had stayed inside reading our books.
Does the moment of Zen make up for my moment of momsanity when I lost it after Sawyer knocked his full cup of apple juice over - again?
mmmm...I love those moments, especially when there is a camera nearby. We had a mud-puddle zen, once, and a "Sure, go ahead and run through the sprinklers in your school uniforms" that I caught on camera and they are some of my best photos over.
Ours was the first warm evening of the spring - hotdogs in the treehouse, hotdog in the tanbark and back in the mouth, seconds on ice cream and playing outside till dark. Bliss.
Love it. He is so adorable.
I know a girl with twins. One day they were in the frig taking stuff out. She just let them go and video taped them doing it. She said they were having so much fun that she couldn't stop them.
Those moments are really the best! When you can just let everything else melt away and see the fun and joy in their eyes :)
Hey Cheryl, I tried to comment earlier, but think my Droid ate it. I said, I think (with a bad case of mommy brain you can't expect me to remember anything from this morning, now really, can you?), that I loved your post and your Zen. I was having (and continued to have) a very un-Zen day. It started last night when my E-man took 2 hours to do 15 minutes worth of homework (don't ask, you don't want to know.) Your post & pictures put a big smile on my face & helped me find a little zen while waiting for hours in the NY City clerks office. Thanks!
Ahhh. I feel more relaxed just reading this. :-)
I had a Zen moment the other day when Kitt used her mac and cheese as hair gel. Well, I twitched for a few seconds and then said eff it, this is what bathtubs are for.
I love this.
FOr some reason, I am blessed with moments of Zen when my kids are sick, when there's vomit all over, I say, "they're sick, they need me."
My son actually once said, "I can't believe you never get mad at us when we peuk all over."
Now, why would I??? It brings out the calm in me.
This is a perfect "Momma Zen" moment.
My zen moment? Not freaking out when my daughter dumps out a water bottle onto the carpet. I grabbed a towel and let her clean it up.
Tonight after I read bedtime stories to the kids (which sadly was a Zen moment of itself because despite my best intentions, I rarely read bedtime stories to my brood), we each took turns telling/making up stories. My kids requested a specific story from my childhood from me. When I finished with mine, we worked our way down all the way to the two year-old who told what I'm sure was a delightful tale but none of us had a clue what it was. She was quite enthusiastic by that point. For a brief moment I felt like a good mommy. I wish I gave myself more opportunities to feel like a good mommy. :(
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