Setting aside magic time

As I watch other moms and just people in general, what I see so often is not enough time. Not enough time to do everything, and then letting that mess up the time you have. The other day in the mall, I watched a woman screaming at her toddler to come on, dragging him up from the floor and pulling him as fast as his little legs would run. I try not to judge, and I say a prayer that that's not how life always is for them. But it also makes me think of how I deal with Emma. I said another prayer that no matter how frustrated I get (and I'm sure there will be times when I'm VERY frustrated) I can deal with her in love. To try and remember that sometimes taking a minute out to hold her or just get down on her level is enough for her to stop too and shift gears.

I've also been thinking that I need to carve out special time for her - and then realized to my surprise that I am! I realized that there are moments in the day that I have already sortof carved out as sacred, that I rarely miss, and that I feel sad when I do miss. Some of them are just built in - like getting her dressed in the morning - we cuddle and play peek-a-boo and sing row row row your boat together (she does the rows, I do the rest), and she gives me kisses and laughs up at me. Getting ready for bed is the same in reverse. Another time is picking her up from daycare. Because we have an hour commute, it's important to me that I sit with her there, and we play a bit and go over the day and she points at everything in her class. I get to spend time with her teachers and make sure I know what she's doing. It's not alot, but I make a point of spending it with her instead of just grabbing her and throwing her in the car, and I think we're both happier for it. And of course, bedtime is the best. Even now sometimes when she wakes up in the middle of the night is OK, because it's another chance to just get to sit and rock this squirming energizer bunny and listen to her breathing. My time.