The month of January has sped by with busy-ness and yet nothing exciting at all. I routinely feel I should be blogging more … and yet have not a lot to say. Daily life is boring and pleasant, standard and exciting – all at the same time. A strange story to tell.
I spend Tuesdays home with Elayna. Swim lessons are at 5 and usually I spend our mornings running errands, spending $$ at the zoo or children’s museum, or dragging her to the park. Elayna seems to enjoy none of these things. Lately she has been begging me to stay home, and so for the past few weeks I’ve been doing that. [Consequently, we have little to no groceries in the house]
And while I love my daughter and I love spending time with her, I’m noticing a shift in her methods of playing. She’s always been an independent player (LOVE IT!) but since Christmas she’s becoming more needy. She whines more, she pleads with me to play with her (even when I’m right there), and her games have rules only she understands.
For example: her new favorite TV show is Disney’s Octonauts. If we’re not watching it, we’re playing it…
E: Mommy, you’re Quasi <the pirate cat>
Me: OK. Octonauts, let’s go. <sing theme music>
E: No!! You stand over there. Now, make a map.
Me: A map? Like this? <rolling a piece of paper – it’s a pirate map after all!>
E: No!! Not like that. Sit like this. Now hit that button.
Me: Wait – what about the map? Can you ask me instead of being so bossy?
E: Mommy! Pluhhhhh --eeeease be Quasi. Stay here – I’ll be right back. <locks me in her room for several minutes. I honestly enjoy the break.>
E: <back in the room> Quasi! Where’s the map? Ugh… Mommy, not like that! You’re not playing with me!
This is about the point where I either (a) tell her I won’t play anymore because she’s being too bossy or (b) head off to make dinner at 10 in the morning or (c) beg Aaron to play with her.
I’m reminded again and again that free play is good for her. I guilt myself constantly that I am not an adequate playmate, that soon she won’t want anything to do with me, that I need to be ENJOYING this 3-year old imagination. And I curse that little pirate cat….
There are however 2 saving graces in this play-time hell. One is a late-Christmas present from Grandpa Cliff: a coloring program for the iPad. E LOVES this – you can select pictures, colors, and it comes with a coloring stylus. Very cool!
The second is a racket set from the going-out-of-business toy store nearby. E’s tennis talent is negotiable but the rackets have been a great excuse to get her out of the house, exercise, and not play Octonauts for a few minutes.
So yes, busy we are. Productive … well, that’s a post for another day.
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