play!

you know what's easiest for me? getting stuck in mom-mode. ie. cooking, cleaning, homework, baths, schedules, basically anything that is structured. and that is why i continually take my hat off to my husband (my literal yin), who challenges my imagination and pretend play, daily. 

like, it takes real effort to put down my to-do list and pick up a baby doll or legos for longer than 5 minutes. i don't know why... i'm sort of ashamed that i can be so uptight. but it's always completely humbling when i can watch the messes from play time build up around me and my anxiety level doesn't increase with it. when, instead of seeing a disaster in my living room, i see my happy kids babbling endlessly and hanging all over mom. it's so incredibly hard to keep up with chores, but harder (for me, anyway) to sit in the middle of chaos and enjoy myself. tell me i'm not the only one who struggles to be present! *tick-tock-tick-tock* mommy's got a million things to do!

that's where my husband comes in, he is so naturally good at it, i try not to get jealous of how easily he entertains our kids, instead i'm thankful of the role model he is to me when it comes to engaging them. he is my constant reminder of the wonder and horse play our babies THRIVE on. i strive for that, i crave that, and i work SO hard at slowing down so that i can join them in that. 

maybe while i'm chasing the baby back and forth across the house, i'm also picking up socks and sippy cups and last weeks half eaten apple (how does that happen?!) and depositing them in their rightful places as we squeal and make big eyes and continue on with our marathon. but, it's still progress! i would actually call it a win-win. i mean, play time, clean up, and exercise all wrapped up in one! my inner multi-tasker is beaming. 

my mantra: play! play more. play even when i think it's boring. play with every moment of down time that i think "hey, what's new on facebook?" play, because my kids need my attention, and could care less about if that rotting apple ever makes it to the trash. play because i need it too. 

besides... my house is NEVER clean anyway.