Finding the balance between work and play is oftentimes difficult.
With deadlines to meet and not enough hours in my day, I sneak in as much work as time permits.
However, I am one of those people who is ever mindful of being in the present moment...
finding joy in the simple things...
and remembering that I only have TODAY...this moment...right now.
Even still, I can get lost in the demands of the world...
And in the everyday routine of life.
Lucky for me I have a personal "present-moment" alarm clock that goes off many times during the day...
It gently reminds me to turn everything unimportant off and tune in.
It begs me to turn off the creativity that runs rampant through my mind continually...
It tugs at my heart to tell me the dishes can wait.
And it's reminder usually comes through the words "Mear"...
Ella's single word for the combination of words "come here".
At two years, Ella Scarlet is always looking for my attention...hoping I'll come sit for awhile with her.
And one of her very favorite things to do together is to sit and read books.
"Mear Mom"...as she leads me to her room filled with stacks of books.
Her favorites right now include "Go, Dog, Go!", "First Words" and a couple of Dora the Explorer books.
The two books she's always handing me to read however, happen to both be about bears...
The Little Bear story she has me read over and over is "Birthday Soup".
I believe it's because I incorporate singing "Happy Birthday" to Little Bear
(and because she's very much interested in parties...and cake...for some odd reason). *wink*
I love to watch her little hands turn the pages...
and listen to her quietly sing "happy birthday to you" when she's reading by herself.
Yes...she's my sweet little "present-moment" alarm clock.
When we're done reading books she likes to look out her bedroom window together...
And it's usually the same conversation we have....
about the little boys next door being on the school bus...
about Clara and Ema being at school...
about how dad is at work...
and how grandma is at home.
All while pointing out airplanes, birds
and the sound she's frightened of: lawn mowers.
I'm so glad I took the time yesterday to photograph a few of the little rituals we do everyday.
They are simple.
Which is how life should be.
Here's hoping we'll all:
• heed our personal present-moment alarm clocks more often.
• document the everyday...
• and play more!!
I'm looking forward to seeing some fabulous women tomorrow at the Central Florida Martha Stewart Dreamers into Doers Meet & Greet.
I'm bringing my camera along and will have plenty of details to share with you next week!
Enjoy your weekend everyone!!
KEEPING IT REAL
Trust me. There are times when I just don't feel like reading one more book.
And there are days I feel guilty because I feel like Ella has had too much t.v. time because I'm trying to work.
But what really matters is that I'm still listening to that alarm clock! *wink*
9 comments:
Such a sweet time!
Oh Jess! You always hit me in the heart! Of course your baby is just adorable with those curls, but with my one year old home all day and my 3.5 year only going to preschool a few hours a week...I can relate! It's so hard to listen to the little alarm clocks sometimes when there seems to be so much that needs done, but they are the reason this life is worth living and these moments are the ones we will treasure the most in the end. Can't wait to meet you! xo
Oh Jess. She is just adorable and I can totally relate to EVERYthing you wrote. See you tomorrow!
These pictures are great! I was thinking that before I read that you were glad you took the time to take them. adorable! We were just picking up my son's piles of books last night, he's 2.5 and also loves to read. One of them we picked up was Go, Dog, Go, except he calls it, Go, Car, Go! They are so much fun! thanks for sharing!
I can totally relate to your feelings about your daughter and say "you wouldn't have it any other way". :)
Jess, she is adorable! I relate to everything you said. My boys are almost 18 and 20 and the days of them wanting me to read with them are way gone, but I can say that it is nice to have my sons want to sit out on our proch swing and talk about life and where they want to go and be. There is something so special about holding your son in your arms when he is 18 and not embarassed that you get a tear in your eye because you know the days of holding them are gone, but that they let you hug them just a little tighter and it melts my heart everytime to hear the whispered words, "I love you mommy."
So, so true ... and I really needed that sweet, gentle reminder! Thank you for sharing ....
so cute to see another 2 yr old at play! My grand daughter is 2 also and I watch her 3 days a week. She is too busy to sit and read tho, I'm looking forward to that!
Absolutely adorable. This was such a wonderful reminder that we all need to take the time to enjoy the simple things in life.
I think we all need a reminder to take the time to put away the phones, turn off the tv and video games and just enjoy each others company.
Hope your enjoying the Dreamers into Doers event!
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