As much as I would be pulling my hair out (and I know I would)...I would, however, happily trade non-walking for her leaving her toys everywhere, coloring on the walls, spreading cream cheese or icing everywhere, climbing on the counters and stealing cookies, putting her shoes on the wrong feet, shaving the dog, using her toothbrush on the dog's teeth, clogging the toilet, giving her stuffed animals a bath, trying to pour her own milk and spilling it everywhere, not making her bed, climbing the bookcases like she's Spiderman, dressing herself like a diva that doesn't have any items that match, putting her tutu on the dog, digging in the backyard, chasing the cat, rolling down the sledding hill, catching fireflies, dancing in the rain...
But these are things she can't do on her own right now. Yes, they would cause any normal parent a migraine, yet I find myself wishing for these moments.
So, I ask of you, when you come home and the bag of flour has been exploded all over the house, or the cat has a mohawk....when you find yourself reaching for the excedrin or tylenol, look at your little one and appreciate what they can do. They might not always do something you really like, but still learn to appreciate it. We tell our kids "I don't appreciate the way you are behaving, or what you did, or how you are talking to me."....but you have a child that is doing something physically (even if its a mess), or a child that IS talking to you. Learn to appreciate that. Appreciate them, and let them know it....let the other parts of it go.
The house is cleanable, toys can be put away, a few stolen cookies never hurt anyone, the walls are paint-able, shoe's can be interchangeable, the cat or dog's (or siblings) hair will grown back...eventually. Plumbers can unclog the toilet, you can buy a new toothbrush, or just boil the dog spit off it, stuffed animals will dry out. Spilled milk? Bounty does the trick. Messy beds are okay, they are easier to get back in at night. Mismatched clothes are cute, and so are tutus on the dog, mud will wash out, the cat will get over it, the snow always melts so let them enjoy it, enjoy the fireflies in the jars...they really are magical, and let them dance in the rain.
Remember, after the storm comes the rainbow.
Don't be so upset about what the storm did that you miss the rainbow.
