Slowing Down

Brendan took these pictures yesterday evening. I was in a hurry, as usual. He still had to take his bath and we had things to do, gosh darn it! But as I looked out the window, I noticed that the construction crew has moved a CAT onto the site across the parking lot and decided to pop out and take a couple of pictures to send to my nephew. Of course, Brendan came, too, and then he had to have a turn with the camera. I wanted to say no, this was just a quick trip outdoors. It wasn't meant to be an adventure. But once he got started, he was having so much fun that I decided to tend to my strawberry plants and just let him do his thing for a bit.


I tried to do that with the other kids today, too. It's not easy for me. I want to push, push, push, achieve, achieve, achieve ... and kids are slow! But I'm trying, when I can, to simmer down and let them live life at their own pace. I let Alex make the brownies for snack last night. He is so deliberate about everything, it just about kills me! But I've learned that if I turn away and do something else, close at hand but not hovering, he'll get the flour measured just right eventually ... And his sense of satisfaction (and the yummy smell in the house!) were worth the wait.


Finally the boys went to bed and I settled in with a book -- and couldn't read. Kaitlyn had some modeling show on, and it was just intriguing enough to make it impossible for me to read so I gave up. I got out an old magazine and went to work cutting words out for a poetry exercise that I'm going to do as soon as I post this (and refill my coffee!). Kaitlyn sat down with me and started cutting outfits out. "Look, Mom!" she said. "This skirt could go with this blouse, and look at this ..." And I bit my tongue to keep from saying, "Why are you so into clothes? Don't you think there are things that matter more in life than what you wear?" But I didn't because ... well, because she's twelve, for one thing, and she has a hard life, and if dreaming about pretty clothes makes her feel good, then ... what's the harm in that? And secondly, not every situation is a teaching moment. Some are just "being moments." And last night was one of those times.