Wordless Wednesday

And Sometimes, There Is a Time to Look Down

A few weeks ago, I wrote about times in your parental life when you just have to look up. Well, conversely, as a parent, there are times when you also need to look down.

Case in point, the return from our vacation in Hilton Head. the drive went relatively smoothly. That is, until we got about an hour from home. It is at that point that the skies opened up and let loose such a volatile rain that I was scared to speak lest I brake Jonathan's concentration on the road.

Of course, this didn't stop MRA from speaking (ASA had FINALLY fallen asleep, I think). MRA jibber jabbered on and on peppering me with questions about rain. Finally, I told him that because the rain was so heavy, we needed to be quite so that Daddy could concentrate on driving. To which he asked, "Why does he have to concentrate on driving?"
The rest of the conversation went something like this:

Me: "Because the rain is making the roads slippery and its very hard to see and we don't want to have an accident."

MRA: "No, Mama. That's not right. Tell me again."

Me: "MRA, I just told you the rain is making the road wet and when its wet its slippery. The rain is also making it hard to see. We have to be quite so Daddy can drive."

MRA (Beginning to melt down): "No Mama, that's not it. You tell me! YOU TELL ME NOW!"

ME: "I don't know what to tell you. Ask Daddy, if you want."

MRA: "No Mama. Now I'm mad at YOU!"

Daddy: "Bud, Mama just told you the rain makes it hard to drive. Its wet and slippery and the car could slide off the road. We need to be quiet so that I can concentrate."

MRA: "That's not right eider DADDY! Now I'm mad at boat of you!"

The only think we could do was look at each other. And with our lips quivering up into a smile, we both broke out laughing. To which MRA yelled, "STOP LAUGHING AT ME!"

And that my friends, is precisely when it is time to look down. Shoulders shaking with our silent laughter and all.

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday on Thursday

The Benefits of Planking

Last weekend, I took both Notorious and Chubalicious to the gym with me. I have been so diligent about my workouts lately in preparation for the Life's A Beach Triathlon I signed up for (don't be too impressed, its an easy one and billed as the Triathlon For Slackards.)The boys have mostly been good in the play room there but I know, we would all rather be some where else.

Prior to heading out, MRA asked when he could start exercising. To which I responded by saying that he could begin exercising anytime he wanted and I offered to show him a few moves. He readily agreed. We did not have a ton of time nor do we have a ton of space so I quickly dropped to the floor and showed him how to plank. He did well. I explained he had to keep his belly and knees off the floor so in reality, it looked like something somewhere between a plank and Downward Dog (for my Yoga following friends).

I explained that this particular exercise would make his belly strong, and his back, and his arms and legs, too. He liked that idea.

We went on to the gym and all proceeded as typical.

Until later.

While running errands throughout the weekend, I noticed that prior to opening a door to go into a store, MRA would drop to the ground and plank. He did this at Target and Old Navy. At Dairy Queen, he must have forgotten because he got outside on that filthy exit ramp, stained with grease and gum and God-knows-what-else and planked. The whole time I am fussing away to, "Get up!" Sanitize your hands". "It's dirty down there." "People need to get by." He even did this going into Saks Fifth Avenue at which point I tried to explain that we don't plank going into stores, we only plank at the gym. All my fussing went in one ear and out the other.

The next day I went to his school to pick him and Chubalicious up... and low and behold, walking out the door (with a stream of other parents and children behind us), MRA stops at the door and drops into plank position (really more like Cobra Pose.)

He holds it long enough for me to scold him and say, "MRA, WHAT? ARE? YOU? DOING? Why do you keep doing that right here?"

He looked up at me with his huge grey eyes and an even bigger smile and said, "Mama, I'm getting strong so I can open the door for you!"

Plank away, MRA. Plank often and plank well. You bring the most unexpected moments of joy into my life!

Wordless Wednesday