Yesterday, Hannah went to the babysitter's from 8-4:30. You would have thought that I would have been prepared for bringing her home. In her absence, I had stocked up on crayons, coloring books, stickers, and games that on the box said for ages 3+. In the short 4 1/2 hours we were home, I heard the phrase, "Mommy, play with me!" at least 274 times. We played each game about 43 times, made sticker patterns (OK...so I did..she just randomly put stickers all over the paper), colored, played the games some more, blew bubbles, played "baby doll house," read books, did puzzles, and again...played the games. And I have come to 3 conclusions:
1. My child does not know how to play by herself. At all. She would rather follow me around, begging me to play with her rather than play by herself. And on the rare occasion that she is playing by herself, it is in a corner or in her tent and she is pooping in her big girl panties. I guess that is what going to daycare all day with 3 other kids and a babysitter who does indeed "play with her" all day does for us. Then add in the big kids, who will play with her when she gets home, and we have done this to ourselves. Don't get me wrong...I love to play with her. It amazes me to see how her mind works, and some of the things that she says crack me up and give me way too much insight into the way that I am perceived by this little person. But, to be followed into the bathroom with Lucky Ducks in hand is bordering on ridiculous.
2. Games that say for ages 3+....are saying this only because the pieces are now big enough that she won't swallow them. Either that, or my precocious, smart little girl is not quite as smart as we thought. Except for Lucky Ducks, she just didn't get it. She loved playing them, but didn't want to follow the rules, made up her own rules, and threw herself on the floor when she didn't get to play the right way. (By the way, she is also a very sore loser, as when I got my three ducks before she got her three ducks, she also threw herself on the floor. We are working on that.)
3. Once again, it hits home that I am not cut out to be a stay-at-home mom. At least a stay at home mom who is supposed to be off her feet for 45 minutes out of every hour. I read all of these blogs of my stay at home friends and other stay at home moms (can you say blog addiction?) and they all make it sound so incredibly peaceful, fulfilling, fun even. Maybe if we had friends with children her age (our friends are all sending their oldest off to college and scoff at the idea of little ones at this stage in life). Maybe if we had endless funds and could go fun places every day. Maybe if I could be up and at it every day. Maybe if I had a housekeeper (one that wasn't me) that kept the house clean and did the laundry. Maybe if I had a child that could play by herself for even ten minutes every once in a while!
and even though I said 3, I have thought of one more....
4. PRAISE THE LORD FOR THIS BABY! Not only because she is a blessing and we love her already, but because maybe, just maybe, once she gets older, Hannah will follow HER around chanting her mantra "Play with me!"
And on a happy happy happy note.....Daryl has ordered me a card that my memory card will fit into and then this card goes into the computer. It has been shipped. SOOOOOO....perhaps, by the end of the week, I will be able to post pictures again!
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