Yard Time

Evelyn, Billy and I spent the afternoon out in the yard today. I had some things to take care of out there and the two of them dashed about playing ball with the Halloween playground balls that Ev has. It is so nice and quiet here that all we could hear were birds and bugs and the occasional car. The sun was shining bright and the air was perfect. I was able to get a few pictures of The Bean , although she is getting worse and worse about cooperating with pictures, especially outside where she has to be vigilant against mosquitoes. (If they buzz in her ear it's tantamount to Armageddon- much to my dismay I can not get her to stop shrieking).

I have been trying to work a bit more on my patience and ability to keep an even keel when I am frustrated or sleepy or hungry, you know the usual triggers for mom meltdown with a side of kid meltdown. Well, today Ev and I were on the brink. I just realized that we were getting more and more snippy and that I just didn't feel like having the day go south on us. I took a deep breath and told Evelyn that we weren't being nice to each other, that we both needed a break and we should take one. She went to the sitting room and I sat in the dining room and perused the new Pottery Barn for about 15 minutes and then I called Evelyn back out. You know? It worked, instead of viewing that time as a bit of free time , I realized that I needed to actually focus on the fact that my temper was slipping and that I needed the re-set as much as or more than The Bean did. So the day was saved .... I just hope I can remember to do this in the future. I will say that we do have Ev play on her own for a few minutes each day, but I have never used that time to focus on my own behavior, I just used it as a "whew!" time- there is a difference. I am a firm believer that the parent is the one to set the tone of the home and I am trying to change so that I can control myself and my internal life more and not focus so much on what the kid is up to. I have come a long way since my first days as a mother, I have a long way to go.