Me Time

'Me time'. It sounds so trite, so simple, such a marketing term along the lines of 'Calgon Take Me Away'. For those who remember that ad. I think my age is showing.

It used to not be important. It felt like most of the time was 'me time' and it was so easy. Then motherhood happened and suddenly I get it. Really get it. I can't think of the last thing I did for myself. Not by myself but for myself. I start feeling thin "like butter scraped over too much bread" (thanks Bilbo). D takes J out on weekend morning for 'adventures' and I end up cleaning the house, doing laundry or dishes. D suggests I take a bath to relax and if it does actually end up happening it becomes a group event as J insists on joining me. I know this sounds like I don't adore or appreciate my family but I do, I so do. I know how lucky I am to have such charming, sweet and loving men in my life. It's just sometimes I want to feel relaxed and renewed as me and I don't want to wait till J goes to college for it to happen.

So I am working on finding little pockets of personal time here and there. Little things for me to do that make me feel excited and connected. I ordered a couple of easy felting kits to dip my toes back into sewing. I have two lovely needlepoints that I want to work on. Doing them used to frustrate me to no end as J would end up practically in my lap watching the needle dip in and out. Then I had the simple realization that as he watches me do these things, he's learning to do them himself. And of course he wants to know what I am doing and of course he finds sewing and creating fascinating, it's magical to a child. Don't I want him to? Of course I do.

So mommy is going to take a deep breath and pull out the needlepoint and sewing. I'm going to show and teach him as I do them. It will take longer and I'm sure there will be mistakes but it's going to be worth it in the long run.