Is it the particular cocktail of hormones our brains happened to mix up for the day?
Does it rely entirely on external factors: the weather, the moods of our children, the things that happened or didn't happen while we were trying to get things done?
Can I choose to have a superb 24-hour cycle of events, or does it occur with or without my input?
I guess if we knew the recipe for a perfect day, we'd follow that set of instructions daily and life would be blissful.
Today felt like a gift. It was empty of woe, void of argument and filled with smiles and laughter.
L had her first day of class at the community center. "Mother Goose on the Loose" is a weekly nursery-rhyme-themed play and create time for pre-schoolers, which involves bringing a sack lunch, making new friends and being without brother and mama for an entire two hours. She was in heaven!
And C and I relished in time alone this afternoon to handle the stuff of life that he deems most important.
Of course, there was climbing ...
and more climbing ...
collecting acorns and sticks ...
... and spreading his own cream cheese on a bagel he didn't have to share with his sister.
We gazed lovingly across the table at each other and talked about the people passing along the street, then met up with Papa unexpectedly on the street for a quick visit.
When it was time to retrieve L with hugs and smiles -- to hear about the excitement of her first day out -- I buckled C into his carseat, hoisted myself quite without grace into the driver's seat and sighed from the pleasant tiredness I was starting to feel from our happy morning.
In that moment, I realized why this particular Tuesday felt like a gift.
My son is two and can appreciate his time alone with his mama.
My big girl is sampling independence and thriving even without my protective eye.
I am literally brimming with new life.
I craned my neck around to lock C's gaze.
"You know, it won't be long and there's going to be a baby sitting in that seat next to you?"
To be sure, there will be more days that seem to drift down to us on angel's wings after Tiny Baby arrives, but none of them will be just like today.
This is so sweet! What a perfect day, and you seem to truly BE in the moment -- soaking up these days before things change again. Just lovely.
ReplyDeleteI remember before Lauren was born, Mia and I went out to lunch - just the two of us. And 9 month hormonal, expectant mama that I was, I just cried at the perfection of it. Because it would never be *quite* the same again. Wonderful and new, but never the same. And that made me shed tears in a crowded restaurant. How embarrassing :)
I'm so glad you had a perfect day! And, just so you know, this post got me through Penelope's 157,000 fit of outraged screaming "No! Mine! Mine!" Thanks for reminding me that one day she'll be spreading cream cheese on a bagel, all grown-up and civilized!
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