Saturday, August 15, 2009

Mother and daughter day

On Saturdays, I usually try to get out of the house to have a few hours of "me time" to just read, have coffee, shop or just hang out in a nature setting. This is my time to just "refresh" myself for the upcoming week. It's a time I usually just think about things, turn inward and meditate or pray, try something new. Just BE. It's hard to do that when you have kids. They don't like to do the same things that grown-ups do for fun and relaxation. This kinda thing does wonders for me. It really does help me "recharge" myself and feel like I just have that "alone time" to be one with myself.

I can't do this EVERY Saturday, though. Or every Sunday, if Saturday is too busy. But that's what I usually try to do.

However, instead of having a so-called "selfish Saturday," as I call them, I decided I would do something differently today.

Today, I would spend my Saturday with my daughter.

I told Jennifer that today was "mother and daughter day" and we had a list of things we'd do together to just have our own "girl time" together. I know that when you have more than one child, one of them can tend to feel left out. And I know there were times in which Jen felt a little left out while her younger brother got so much attention. So I've decided that, one day out of the week, it will be HER day to be the center of attention.

So when we finally managed to get out of the house today, we headed straight for the Coldstone Creamery. We enjoyed an ice cream treat there, then we did a little shopping at Old Navy. One of the T-shirts she got says, "Girls Rule and Boys Drool." (Oh, Lord. I hope she doesn't go back to school saying that to all the boys! LOL)

After that, I planned to take her to a little shop to buy a book, but they'd moved. So we went to a store instead and she bought two comic books. We also bought supplies for a "candy mask" we are planning to make later on (using candy, cake icing and paper plates). Then we went to the park. I was concerned because it was getting late. It was 7:00 when we left for the park and I didn't want us out after dark. So I told Jen she could play at the park for 10 minutes. But we ended up having so much fun, we stayed there for 25 minutes. And, thankfully, it didn't get dark.


We still have plans to make that mask. And do each others' hair. And play a board game. Those things are all part of our special day together.

Tomorrow, however, will be "daddy and daughter day." At least, we hope it will. She wants to do some stuff with her dad tomorrow, and I'll spend time chilling with the baby. I hope he'll be able to do that for her.

But even if that doesn't happen, at least she had one special day. I am thinking of getting rid of my "selfish Saturdays" and replacing it with the "mother and daughter" day instead. My daughter won't be young forever, and it won't be long before she'll want to hang out with her friends instead of her mother. So for now, I think I should hold on to these special days with her while I still can. I can always be selfish later.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful personal experience piece, Dawn. You write so well! Glad you both enjoyed yourselves. Have more of the same.

Big, big hugs & much, much love, suse

Anonymous said...

aww this makes me want to have mother daughter days with my kids!

Dawn Wilson said...

Thanks, Susie and Nancy. :) It's days like that which create great memories!