My wonderful client gave me a huge bag of elderberries this morning when she dropped missus off: Hedgerow cordial here we come :-)
There was no oversleeping this morning, Rye ran into my bedroom as soon as he heard my alarm at 7am, entailing boobies and snuggles. I even enoyed a rare morning shower.
Once missus had arrived yoga-ish movements were made. C seemed bemused and Rye kept telling me he didn't want to do "Yoghurt". He did have fun, just his temperance lately is soiled with impassioned "I can'ts" followed by gleeful giggles, followed by frowns and more, "I can't" - sigh.
Downward dog was a hit, The warrior (I think it was the warrior we were doing.. sort of front lunge with arms out in font and behind?) and the one where you stand on one leg - he thought that was very funny because he kept falling over. I was encouraging him to put his hands together at chest height - we were in a "I can't" moment and he whined, "I can't, my hands are upset." It took great control not to laugh at his serious, frowny, little face.
The songs were a bigger hit, with Rye singing along at full volume. Missus joined in a little, although when I told her to touch her toes when we were singing, "Head, Shoulder, Knees and Toes...", she ran over and touched my toes. It would be a gross exaggeration to say this was a harmonious start to the day; nor was it disharmony. It was bedding in, getting a feel for the new rhythm and once the movements are a little less new and never before done (by little bodies), I rather suspect it will become a favourite part of the day.
Then freeplay, naturally outside, simply have to take advantage of warm sunny days we're once again blessed with - even if that wind does promise Autumn, falling leaves, and snuggling under blankets on an eve. I sat out there and watch the children play, drank my orange juice and relaxed. Before "there was rhythm", lol, I would have disappeared into the kitchen to prepare meals, empty the dishwasher, do some baking etc... interspersed with me yelling, maingly at Rye, to leave missus alone; stop chasing her, stop crowding her with the tractor, stop putting sand in her hair... yell, yell, yell, don't, don't, don't, don't. What an awful waste of time. Neither of the children listened to me and I would get more irrate and they would get more silly. Craziness.
Simply sitting, being present curtailed the silliness, there was no need for yelling, no need for constant, "don'ts". The occasional diffident comment regarding a hand of sand, a tractor a tad too close, a spade held at an angle for hitting... was all that was needed, and the realisation there can be such a thing as
too much freedom, it's too overwhelming for little people, who've yet to fully grasp the concepts of restraint and self control.
And when I did quietly get up and move into the kitchen to prepare the mornings snack; the children continued to play amiably together in the sandpit. Snacks and drinks all waiting on the table, the meal blessing candle burning.
After snacks the paints came out and the children hand painted
Using autumnal colours of yellow, red and a little green, mixing red and yellow to make orange etc.
These hand prints have a purpose; I'd seen Izzy with her son create a thankfulness wreath, made frm painted handprints. This is what we'll do with ours - once the paint is dry. And for now the colourful handprints really do brighten up the lounge.
Hand painting is a very messy process, so decking, bowl of warm soapy water and two paint splattered children:
Both children did need a change of clothes - kept the paint off clothes... water not so much. And as they were having so much fun with the bowl of water, a few accessories added:
This became an opportunity to practise taking turns. Missus wasn't too happy, and each time it was Rye's turn to play with the cup and seive she would cry and kick her heels. Rye, initially would snatch, whining it was his go - I modelled how I wanted them to interract and to say, "My turn now, please" and toward the end of the play Rye was offering missus the seive and cup telling her it was her turn, and she would then say "tank oo". I could have course brought out 2 seives and cups; but this snatching and screaming at each other is one of the interactions that drives me batty - even when they are multiples of a toy they want to play with; using the water play as a model for how to play harmoniously and cooperatively was happy coincidence.
I read Each Peach, Pear, Plum and then Rye, who inititally had been reluctant to sit down and listen, requested another story. Then free play, some indoors, until some silliness started to emmerge and then the children were shooed back into the garden. Lunch was made, blessed and eaten with gusto - the last ten minutes before missus was picked, did revert back to silliness, running in and out, screaming. The children were calmly stopped and told indoors is for quiet play and I instructed them to sit on the mat and play with toys or read. Tis my own fault - I allowed the screaming, running in and out etc to go on; redirecting that energy and helping them both to find new play outlets will take a bit of time. This morning has given me confidence, though, that the consummation of the daily rhythm will produce a far more harmonious and productive environment.
And this afternoon, Rye and I went into town, bought our supplies, came home and falloloped. Rhythming is surprisingly tiring business. A friend popped by with her twin boys and now I'm considering bed and Rye is watching a DVD and blearyily telling me he's not tired, when his eyes so clearly say he is :-)
Night night.
