Finding the Love

This week has turned into a rough one for me. I'm waking up each morning feeling as if I've had a sleepless night. I haven't, but I might as well have.
Sleep is doing me no good. Waking is even more painful than usual. Quite literally, it hurts to prise my bleary eyes open and tend to my children's needs. Each sound (cupboards banging, doors slamming) stabs at my brain like a sharp stick. Any voice above a whisper sounds like a shout - and you know my lot are not really the type to whisper.

But enough of all that. If I dwell on how I feel (lousy) it will not help me out of my fug.

As PaisleyJade says: "I wholeheartedly believe that no matter what is happening in your life, there is always something that you can be thankful for... no matter how simple it is."

Looking on the bright side, I can list quite a few things to love already about my day.

Firstly, Scrag slept til 8am. Usually he is the alarm clock, jumping on us and urging us to hit the ground running. But today, he slept and slept, waking only as the last schoolkid slammed the front door as she ran around the corner to catch her ride to school.

{And there is another thing to love - my friend Linda, kindly being Miss Fab's school-taxi}

So instead of having to stagger half-asleep to school and kindergarten, I got to stay in my PJs for the first time this week.

I can also List the following Things to be grateful for:

• The kids got dressed and ready without a fuss
• They looked smart in the clothes they chose
• There was no fighting or yelling this morning
• They made their own lunchboxes (I made the sandwiches)
• Miss Fab was being Green, and used paper towels & containers instead of Gladwrap
• They DASH cleaned their his teeth (without being reminded) It seems Miss Fab only pretended to clean her teeth! Her toothbrush was bone-dry
• Dash remembered his spelling words from last night's homework
• He left on his scooter calling out, "Bye mum, Love you! Have a good day!"

Which brings me to the next thing I find to love - a Teacher Only Day at kindy.

Me and Scrag really needed a day at home together, and here we have been gifted one. I am seriously thinking about dropping Friday morning kindy to give us an unscheduled day together, while he is still little. This time will go so fast.

Another thing to love? After we snuggled on the window seat in the morning sun, and I made him the required two weetbix, he said, "Mummy can you play with me?"

Finally I have the chance to Play. The week has been so busy and I have been so low, that the best I've managed in terms of Playing (remember, my Parenting Course Homework?) has been reading him a story on the kindy couch before I leave, and letting him help me stir the cheese sauce for the macaroni cheese.

Eagerly I jumped at the Play invitation, remembering to let him take the lead.
He found Batman lying around and gave him a race with Buzz Lightyear. I did my best to ooh and ahh. When we re-constructed Mr & Mrs Potato Head, I resisted the urge to do it for him when the nose wouldn't go on. Instead I held the body steady while Scrag pushed in the nose. See how much I am remembering?

He wanted to colour, so I asked him did he want crayons or pencils, just like on the video clip we watched. At no point did I take over his play; it was "child-led" all the way.

Later he said he wanted to "take a Family Photo".
Turns out what he really wanted was to take some photos himself. He tried some self-portraits and I even let him snap me in all my morning glory... such a sacrifice.
I followed his artistic direction, pulling silly faces as requested. We had Fun.





So I can add a great big I Love Play to the list.

I also love these photos of Miss Fab, which I found on my camera from the weekend, taken by our young Swiss friend. Gorgeous, don't you think?

So there you have it.
Things I've found to love and be grateful for already today and it's only 10am.
I may still feel like I'm swimming through glue, but at least I'm swimming with Love, aye?

Now I'm going to turn off the computer, get out of my PJ's and walk with my boy to the park while the sun still shines. I might even Play.

.................................

What are you finding to Love today?