Today, my daughter has been particularly humbling to me. I usually involve her in conversation just to keep both of us occupied, and her relatively engaged in what we are doing. More and more lately, though, she has actually had something to contribute. This morning at breakfast, for instance, we practiced Psalm 100 and she remembered most of the words to the first verse, and then we talked about God loving us forever and ever. We dialogued about the good news of Jesus, and at the end of it, she reminded me that he loves us forever and ever. Well, "ever, ever, ever!" I sometimes get weepy when her little heart overflows with joyful truth. My greatest prayer is that my children would have regenerate hearts, and any sign that Mikayla loves the Lord just staggers me with gratitude.
Later this morning, I needed to open a big five gallon bucket of laundry detergent in order to make a small batch with added soap. I sat down on the floor with my big bucket and told Mikayla what we were up to, as I began to pry with all the sinewy strength of my little chicken-bone fingers.
Me: Let's take the lid off of this 5-gallon bucket! Grrr it's so hard!
Mikayla: Screwdriver!
Me: ....Yes, that would be a good idea.
My two-year-old totally schooled me on the physics of opening a giant bucket lid. True, she was probably only recalling what worked the last time Momma had to open it. But she remembered more quickly than I did that there was no way I could get that lid off without some mechanical advantage. Humbling.
Then, it started to snow like crazy.
Me: Mikayla, look at all the snow outside!
Mikayla: Merry Christmas!!!!!
She has only consciously celebrated one Christmas in her lifetime, so it seemed pretty cool that she connected the snow with the holiday. And it was hilarious that she barely looked out the window before making her exclamation with all the vocal enthusiasm she could muster. I'm telling you, she barely got the words out past the excitement welling up in her soul.
So then I promised her we would do some stretches on the exercise ball, since my bi-monthly exercise regimen is a far cry from the twice daily prescription of my chiropractor. But first we started a load of laundry, at which she gazed lengthily, since she had helped "make" the soap. Mikayla has a great memory. The second her toes hit the floor after she finished staring down the washing machine, she was asking me about "stretches" again. I explained that I needed to go potty because, as the song goes, "When you have to go potty, STOP and go right away!" (We take advantage of all the teachable moments we can find around here, particularly with the goal of washing fewer toddler undies on a daily basis.) When I had persuaded her it was a worthwhile pursuit for me to use the bathroom, she barricaded me into our powder room and wouldn't let me out.
Me, flushing the toilet: Mikayla, time to let Momma out so we can do stretches on the ball!
Mikayla: No, wash, Momma!
(Proceeds to not let me out of the bathroom until I wash my hands. Momma needs to be taught basic hygiene. Obviously I was just making conversation WHILE I washed my hands, but Mikayla couldn't be sure. Imagine persuading a toddler, through a closed door, that your hands are, in fact, clean.)
As I type, Mikayla is sweeping the living room carpet with a broom. I think my next goal will be to channel all this hygienic energy into some legitimate household chores. Too bad we don't have those cats anymore; my lifelong goal of having my children scoop the litter is THIS close to becoming a reality! Well, it's between that and my other next goal of patenting a process for bottling and selling toddler energy. Or using it myself. Not that she outpaces me or anything. Anyone who's seen me on a Sunday after church knows that I have all the natural stamina I need to wrangle a troop of caffeinated monkeys...er, my children...with no need of a nap or a bottle of wine or anything.
Why are you laughing?
Time for lunch and the daily nap swap, wherein I trade the one who doesn't make it to the potty every time for the one who lives to climb the stairs unsupervised and unroll all toilet paper, ever. Seriously, I am totally good on energy. Don't worry about me. I hope he learns to turn doorknobs next, I could use a good challenge!
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