Yet the need to run and move was a biological imperative. We would bundle up, and we would play. So help us, we would play.
My friend Jen recently passed this quote my way: "Remember, you are not managing an inconvenience; You are raising a human being." ~ Kittie Franz
And so, I decided to embrace the mud, and let the boys play.
Later on, we came home and cleaned off. In the bowels of my freezer, I found some blackberries, picked last summer, and frozen for a day precisely like this.
Each and every one.
22 comments:
A lovely, lovely post. I love mud. I tried to get my daughter to let loose and splash in puddles with me one day. She asked to do it... but didn't realize that splashing in a puddle meant getting wet up to your knees from the splash. She was horribly upset- and only cracked a smile after I splashed in the puddle and was wet up to my knees, too.
I think messes are a huge and important part of parenting and of childhood. I've posted on just that topic before. :)
You and I must be on similar wavelengths today because I was looking at my son's old tonka dump truck. (used to belong to his father) Anyway, I was thinking that I should find an area for my son to dig in the mud and let him get muddy just every once in a while (once it warms up, of course). Because he'll only be little once and . . .well, he's a boy and needs to get muddy every now and then, right?
Looks like they had a blast especially with the mud. I know my son would have loved to get all muddy. The blackberries YUM!!!
Oh those blackberries sound wonderful. When I was little we used to pick them wild. They grew all over by where we lived. We would go pick them and then make homemade blackberry ice cream with them.
Oh wow, I love the quote. There are times I've snapped at my kids and yes getting all muddy is one of them. I can remember a few times snapping at preschool teachers for how filthy my kids were. So, we decided my real problem was I didn't want the mud/dirt in the house, on the furniture and on the carpets for me to clean. So...I always had a change of clothes and a plastic bag to put the dirty clothes in. We'd get home. They could take off the cleaner clothes without making a mess and I'd then do all the laundry. It was a win/win for all of us.
Umm ok...gonna use this for a blog post on my blog LOL.
I can't wait for it to warm up here, Boy will have so much fun in the mud. Sounds like you had a great summer day in the middle of the winter.
Why aren't you my neighbor? We could meet at the park and let our kids play in the mud together. Seriously, it's 2010 I was promised teleporting.
I love the pics in this post! Have been busy, so I am catching up on my blog reading tonight...I hope! hahah
I have to take deep breaths and say to myself, "It's mud. It will wash off. It's okay. Really. It's okay."
And if I remember to take towels to cover up my seats or to let the kids disrobe before we leave the park, even better.
Jonathan went to the marine museum today. He was tickled about the river otters.
What a wonderful post. As a kid I would have been swimming in that mud puddle! I used to love to walk through the mud. My favorite was when it was so thick it would suck your shoe right off your foot and it would be stuck and you'd have to dig it out. Oh how my mom used to yell at me for ruining my shoes.
How fun.... a day at the park and mud too!!
What a great post! I remember watching my boys and their dad playing in the rain and getting filthy dirty from head to toe. The boys are reaching their thirties now. How I miss those days.
Thanks for the memories!
I've snapped at my two boys and felt horrible about it..I now let them blow bubbles with their chocolate milk,fall in the mud without worrying what I will think and laugh when they tell me how they carried a broken tv into their hut and took turns peeing inside of it.
Have a wonderful mud filled blackberry eating day:)
I love mud!!! Next time, though, my boys need to take off their Sunday clothes first. *sigh*
I am so proud of you for embracing the mud! I really (REALLY) need to work on stuff like that. Love the quote...
I went to a funeral once for a woman and her children told so many stories of their fabulous mother. One I have always remembered was a day when her children came into the house covered in mud. She didn't lose it over how dirty they were...she asked questions about how much fun they must have had. How did the mud feel, etc.
I would have been losing my temper for sure.
Mud has a magnetic pull on boys, doesn't it? I'm like you - I let them go out even if it's cold. They need to burn out that energy somewhere other than on my furniture!
Sometimes it's good to let go and let the boys be boys. These are the days they'll remember always!
Mud puddles and boys just go together :-)
You're a real trooper.
xo
"...embrace the mud, and let the boys play..." - great wisdom.
hey unknown mami mentioned you leave great comments - come by anytime and leave one.
It's a most special thing to see a mother who can look beyond the dirt and mess and know that the experience of the moment is priceless. :)
You are the coolest mom to let your son schlep around in the mud. I. LOVE. IT.
mAY
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