Letting Loose

Yesterday my neighbor Kelli and I took the kids to the park to let them run around and wear themselves out. Between my running after Paige to make sure she didn't get hurt, but at the same time was having fun and constant checking on Claire, Kelli and I did manage to get a few conversations in here and there. One of the things that we talked about was how I realized that I just need to relax more and let my kids be kids and if that meant they got dirty and needed a bath every night then so be it. I decided to put this into affect this week and I tell you what both the girls and I are much happier. When we go outside now I just let them do whatever their little hearts desire (within reason of course). If they want to sit in the grass and dig in the dirt then go for it, if they want to use the driveway paint and have a good ole time then by all means do it. Or if they just want to run in and out of the garage playing with a ton of different toys/bubbles spilling them all over themselves in the process then heck I just don't care. If I can sit nearby and supervise/read a magazine and let them play and be happy then life is good. I am really proud of myself on how I have loosened the reins so to speak and just stepped back.
Just today Paige was determined to drink water out of my cup from the bathroom by herself while it was full. In the past I won't have let her because I won't have wanted to deal with the clean up, but today I said go ahead and let her go for it. I knew what the outcome would be and I was right but this time as she spilled the water all over herself and the floor I just laughed and told her "see you need mommy to help you", the look on her face when the cold water poured all over her was priceless and hearing her say "Uh Oh" like she should have listened to me, was really cute too. Then I thought what else can they play with that is different, that they have never done before and will keep them entertained for a while? Then I remembered how you can make shaving cream into finger fun, so we were off to Target to get some cheap shaving cream. After Paige woke up from her nap we headed downstairs to the basement to sit at our picnic table and let the fun begin. Claire had a really good time, where Paige on the other hand didn't like it and wanted nothing to do with it. While we were at Target I also bought some Fingerpaint, maybe we can explore that sometime next week or over the long weekend when daddy is home to help with the clean up. Here are a few pics of the fun with shaving cream.


Paige saying "No"



I added some food coloring to spice it up a little!