Enjoying my Todays

I am the kind of person who is always looking for a way to challenge myself to grow; I never want to become complacent or stagnant where I am at. This has its positives to be sure. I am often venturing into new territories and experiencing new things. I delight in challenging the status quo and find richness in discovering a better way to do something. There are drawbacks to this personality trait too, though. Sometimes I get so focused on the next destination that I don't enjoy the scenery I am currently traveling through.

Never has this been more apparent than through the new experience of raising my little one. Six months has past since she made her appearance into this crazy world and it has been an incredible journey. Yet, so many times I have found myself waiting for "the next big thing". It's not that I haven't enjoyed who she is in each moment, I just get so excited for the firsts...that first time she really saw me...indescribable. The first time she smiled at me...I can't even explain the sensation. I have invested hours upon hours into researching what comes next, how I can interact with her better, what games and activities are "age appropriate" and I have amassed tons of great information. But through all of this focus on how to help with the next moment, I fear I am not fully engaged in this moment.

The lesson I am learning is that the cliche I keep hearing from the older generation is true. The days are long, but the years are short. Some days I look at the clock and wonder why isn't naptime coming faster! Yet in six months my little girl has learned and experienced hundreds of new things. She has had so many firsts, and I want to hold each one in my heart and experience it to the fullest. I look towards the future and am excited for the day she can share an ice cream cone with her daddy, ride a pony, and run into my arms for a hug. But I need to put the brakes on a bit, slow it down, and enjoy the moments. (Even the ones that are tough to enjoy...like those completely indescribable diapers when she first started solid food. Oh. My. Word.  I didn't actually think anything could smell that bad.)

Who me? Smell bad? No way!

Because I am a planner and have an affinity for lists, I have picked three ways I will practice engaging in the present moment.
1. I will take two hours a day of "technology free" time with my daughter. It may not be two hours in a row...maybe two one-hour chunks or four half-hour chunks, but I will keep the cell phone put away, the computer and television off, and focus on simply interacting with her.

2. I will be intentional about enjoying simple things. I will spend time each day purposefully enjoying an unhurried moment. Maybe I will step outside for a few breaths of fresh air and focus on the slight breeze, the sound of kids playing down the street, and the warmth of the ground beneath my feet. Maybe I will close my eyes for a moment as I hug my little girl and listen to her heartbeat as I feel her little hands clench my arm. I will take these moments to thank God, once again, for the gifts he has given me.

Bedtime Music with Daddy!

3. I will enjoy engaging in the bedtime routine with my daughter. It can be easy to want to rush through my daughter's bedtime routine so I can have a few hours to do "baby free" activities. However, the days I really engage with my little one at bedtime are the days I feel like I ended well. My husband and I have started having music time right before bed with our daughter. After I feed her and she gets her jammies on, my husband brings out his guitar and plays some songs. I hold her in my lap and we listen to daddy make music. Then we kiss her goodnight and put her to bed. It is a precious routine that could so easily be forgone for other "important" activities (like catching up on our favorite television show). What could be more important than establishing these rituals with our baby girl and enjoying family time together?

So, I may be a dreamer forever, looking for ways to better the tomorrows and be the best I can be. But that doesn't mean I can't live fully in my todays. My goal as a wife, a mama, and a follower of Jesus is to enjoy my todays and live as fully as I possibly can in each one.. Each day with my baby girl is a new today, and I don't want to waste any of them.

 (Today I am linking up with Better Mom Mondays! Feel free to get to her blog by clicking here!)