I finally sat down.

I have run basically non-stop for the last month.  Today I sat down.  I started the day with a headache that was growing.  I laid down on the couch and fell asleep around 10 AM while K- played with K'inex.  That didn't help, but she was creating fun things.  I ate a few Advil, we talked and I toodled about in a non-specific and non-accomplishing way.  She rode her bike and I taught her how to do a figure 8. 

We had a rather laid back day.

It has come to the end of the summer.  I've had to hound her each and every day to do the summer bridge reading and math work from school.  Well, I'll say that a lot of July was skipped because of illness, which is the reason we are still at it.  K- has had a case of the whinies.  She has had a bit of the "I know what you asked, but . . ."  All of those things grind at my very mama nerves.  We've had some pretty hard hitting heart to heart talks over the past few days about behavior and adoption.  (Completely unrelated, but equally as deep.)  Today, I made a concerted effort to be a bit less mama naggin' and she put more effort into doin', cooperatin' and being a problem solver.  She had her bike out in the front lawn when I returned from the PTA meeting (at 9:30 PM) and I told her that she had to be sure to put it up or it would be stolen.  She got it around to the back, took it to the shed, got herself a flashlight and managed to get everything done on her own without a whine for help.  She locked it back up, put the key away properly, gathered up her play things in her play area downstairs without hounding and went to bed without a fight. 

I complimented her for doing such great things.  I complimented her for working together with me today.  I told her that those are the days I love best.  It was nice to come home after the three hour meeting to her having had a bath, hair washed and things taken care of.  The day wasn't perfect, but I wanted her to go back to school not thinking that her mom was some horrible ogre.  I want her to know that I care.  Still, I want to remind myself that she is a kid.  Sometimes my expectations for her are too high.  I just want her to be a good kid.  I want her to do well in school.  I need to express myself differently sometimes.

So I sat down today.  K- did, too.  We didn't run around like crazy, doing ten things at once.  We enjoyed the day.  We hunted down butterflies, worked on math, did a bit of reading together and snuggled. 

It was good to finally sit.

Smiles in my day:
-  Sitting down for a meal at our kitchen table.  We've been out on dinners elsewhere this week and while that is wonderful, there's something about your own table, you know?
-  We're going to start tagging monarchs!

Have a great day!