Amazing Nap

I want to do something amazing, something phenomenal. I want to do something indicative of my awesome, unlimited potential. But, I think I'll take a nap first. I keep waking up in the wee hours of the morning between two little people who roll into me and poke me with their toes. They're not tired, because in addition to 10 or more hours of sleep each night, they get naps left and right. I deserve a nap. But as soon as I wake up, I'm going to do something amazing.

Sharing

My almost 2-year-old has a very precise concept of sharing. Whatever item happens to be in her possession is liable to be shared at any given moment. Here's how it works: She notices another person and forcefully jabs the item out into the air in front of their face. The recipient barely has a moment to grasp the item before she snatches it back, convinced she's fulfilled the sharing requirement. She is extremely adamant about this, and if said item is not accepted for the brief moment, she quickly becomes insistent. "Take this thing from me right this second! You have to let me share with you, now take it! Good - now give it back right now!, right now!, right now! right now!/Give It Back! - What? - Did you think I was giving it to you? I was just sharing it with you. Apparently you don't know how that works. Well, I'm sorry. You have nothing interesting to say and nothing to offer me, I'm gone, and I know I'm not smiling (what the heck does that have to do with sharing anyway). Man! More people really need to get with this whole sharing custom." She even does it with food, which can be confusing. Sometimes she wants to show you up close the piece of food she's about to eat, and sometimes she's simply overcome with the urge to feed you. This involves her persuading you to open your mouth just enough for her to literally shove the morsel past your lips and teeth and then continue to stare intently at your mouth until you chew and swallow. Apparently, contrary to the popular saying - She IS the boss of me.

Wake Up Call

My younger daughter woke me gently today from my nap on the love seat. When I say "woke me gently", I mean - attempted to put her play-glasses on me while I was sleeping. And when I say "attempted to put her glasses on me", I mean - poked me in the eye with the earpiece. Only my thin eyelid was protecting me. When I awoke at the prodding, and opened my eyes, she had a clear shot at my eyeball. She took it.

Sorry to hear it...

I'm sorry to hear about the passing of Whitney Houston. The apparent loneliness of being found dead in a hotel room, is just so damned depressing for me to think about for too long. We should all have a hand to hold, and we should all be willing to reach out a hand to those around us. I know everyone is on their own path, but paths are forever crossing. I try to smile at the whiners and scowlers I see. And if I'm one of them, I dare you to smile at me.

In Whitney's absence, it's good to think of her music playing.

Wake up or be trampled.

When you child kneels on your armpit and steps on your face and you're beginning to wonder whether she is inclined to consider your feelings, just ask. If she replies by saying "Bah!", while sticking a finger deep into your nostril, the answer is not really. Don't take offense, though, because her apparent physical assault while you're half asleep is really a demonstration of affection. She only climbs on the people she loves most in all the world. So I believe congratulations are in order. Meanwhile, be sure to cover up your crotch and eyeballs in preparation for her arrival in your bed, uninvited in the early morning hours. Sweet dreams :-)

Dirty Work

You really need to be willing to jump right in to the messiness of life. It's the only way to truly experience what it feels like to be human. If you let other people do your dirty work for you, you'll find yourself unable to communicate very honestly with anyone.

Baby Genius

Frankly, most of us spend our time more concerned with what just happened, or what's about to happen, than with what is happening right now.

My youngest child is the best teacher of this phenomenon. She will get very excited or very upset about something that seems so small. But once I absorb the fact that she is only concerned with this moment and NOT this moment relative to anything past or future, it makes complete sense. As an adult, I can't imagine eating one of my favorite foods with a mindset completely void of any concept of the future. But I can see the exhilaration on my daughter's face, while eating ice cream that this is positively the best thing you could have in your mouth. Her eyes are wide open, as well as her ice cream-filled mouth. He enthusiasm inspires you to want to have some too, RIGHT NOW!

Or if she spots a blue heron landing right outside our patio, she feverishly signs and says "bird", while fixating on the long-legged visitor. It's as if it were the coolest thing ever. But the thing is, she's not comparing it to "ever." It's the coolest thing right now, over which there can be no debate. It IS the coolest thing now, but we jaded adults can't clear our minds enough to think only about right now. We have to cloud our attention along with our potential enthusiasm with visions and concerns of near and far, past and future - until the present shrinks and dulls almost to the point of being a mere caption. It's so confounding that with age and "wisdom" comes this sad, semi-blinding phenomenon of caring less and less about what is happening in this PRECISE moment.

Do yourself a favor and try to focus on the present at least once a day. Really suck it all in. If you need help or inspiration in doing this. Find a child, the younger the better. They are natural experts in seeing and feeling the true energy and beauty of life. It's just the best :-)