My little one was sick today. He’s been sick since Friday but has been powering through school and the weekend and this morning I didn’t have the heart to wake him up and let him sleep in. When he woke on his own, he still had a sore throat and a groggy voice. I decided to let him stay home and just rest today. This is of course changed my plans, but for the better I think, even though it was challenging to enjoy the moment.

He had big dreams and it isn’t often the two of us have time alone together anymore.  So I granted his wishes and let the to do list wait.

We took the time to make French crepes, his favorite breakfast specialty.

Afterwards, I tried to get him to read, but he wasn’t in the mood. I was trying to get the house decluttered after the weekend and catching up with laundry. I was hoping he would entertain himself. But he had other dreams.

I told him about the Kids Code initiative and the Hour of Code week that was going on this week and told him he should look into this. This piqued his interest and no sooner than I had mentioned it, he had the computer screen open and began creating his own PONG video game.  He was a natural, thanks to his 4th grade teacher, Jenny Maehara, who introduced this to him last year. She also introduced him to Tinkercad, the software used to design 3D printing objects.  I was amazed at how comfortable he was navigating between objects and motions and senses and events.  This kid can code!  When he got the background, the sprite, the ball and the paddle picked out and chose code to make the objects move, he shouted out, “Wow! I did it!”  I loved being there to see him learn and at this moment I tried to not worry anymore about the dishes and laundry and just enjoyed being in the moment with him.  

He says he wants to be an inventor one day. I can’t wait to see what he becomes when he grows up. Well, actually, I can wait. He told me in 10 years he would be 20, and I told him to be quiet, that I didn’t want to know that. He laughed.

After he was done with his hour of code and I was folding laundry, he found some ornaments to color which only took five minutes. He was ready for the next craft project. Luckily Juliana had bought a little foam kit to do with a neighborhood friend this weekend while she was babysitting, but her plans had fallen through. I went and found the kit in her room and bought myself another 30 minutes. But of course he wanted to do it together and told me to leave the laundry and that it could wait. He was right. This kids is smart!  We enjoyed sticking sticky tiles on the roof and putting the pieces together without any glue.

By the time he was done, I told him I had an hour before having to go pick up his sister from school. I was planning on getting some more chores done, but he thought we should go watch the movie he rented this morning because he thought I’d like it too. He asked me to come watch it with him and who was I to say no? Living in the moment… isn’t what this life is about? And I’m so glad I did. His legs on top of mine.

His little hands rubbing my face and reaching his arm around me to snuggle. I think this is what they call being accomplished, even though it doesn’t feel like that in the moment. Silver linings.

I did still manage to get most of the laundry done, and a workout in after his siblings came home, which made me happy. I’m used to having quiet time alone now and was missing my workout sanctuary.  This constant mothering thing is hard and good work!  I felt like I had a needy toddler again and did take the time to enjoy him, although I have to admit my head did drift a few times to the dark side.  Can you relate?  I hope he’s well tomorrow and I sure appreciate his school and will miss my little buddy again. Yin and yang. Thank you for our sick day today, little one. I adore you and hope you feel better tomorrow.

Namaste.