Saturday, April 12, 2008

How to have a good day

1. Subjugate your will to that of the nearest two-year-old. Sip imaginary tea from a cracked plastic cup that used to be yours back in the seventies. Read a board book three times over. Lay on the floor in a patch of sunlight with an orange cat, and listen to your daughter sing the alphabet, starting with the first letter, which is Q.

2. Dig something up - for instance, the tall yellow-flowered perrenial (latin name tall yellowus thingus) that, through lack of planning, got planted between the other two tall yellowus thinguses. Use your bare hands to fill in the hole, and don't forget to consult with your six-year-old about the best destination. He's right.

3. Be with your son in the moment when he loses his first tooth. If you're lucky, you'll get to pluck it out yourself, with no pain and very little blood. Cry a little if you need to, he is growing up so fast.

4. Take time to appreciate your daughter's imagination. Who else would think to paint a bedspread using a toothbrush and Vaseline?

5. Shut up. Stop trying to control everything. Leave the muddy footprint where it landed and pour yourself a glass of wine to sip while you cook supper.

6. Cuddle in the dark and watch a movie with your husband.

7. Don't worry that you only wrote a few hundred words. You did some very important stuff today, after all.

5 comments:

Karen said...

These are such adorable memories for you - I love the way you write!!! I've been there at those same times with my kids and it's just sad sad sad how fast they disappear. Balance what you do the way you are doing it, don't worry if you've made your word quota, you've surpassed your life quota and that counts more - Karen

Rose said...

Cindy,

I love #5. I think I need to tattoo that on my forehead...

--Rose

Cindy said...

Thanks Karen!

I was wondering how you're doing. Talk soon!

Cindy said...

Hi Rose!

Yeah, that's a life skill I think *everyone* could stand to work on. (G)

Renée (R.E.) Chambliss said...

Great entry! You are so right! Thanks for the reminder. :o)