Thursday, January 17, 2008

Breathing Lessons

I hate to use this title because I am relatively certain that I will need it at some later date and think, damn, why didn't I save that title for later. Yesterday was karate day, a well-documented event in our little house -one that sometimes causes a little bit of jaw clenching hoo ha around here. I am happy to say, though, without the hormonal maelstrom that was wracking me last week, The Kid's karate class was better yesterday.

First of all, I called Lefty before we left and said, "Tell me something that will keep me from getting all cinched up during karate class." He kindly reminded me to focus on whether or not The Kid was having fun. So that's what I did. And The Kid did have fun. He had a blast. And while I could not resist a few raised eyebrows and the occasional snotty aside once Lefty arrived ( the obnoxious instructor was talking about a beginning jiu-jitsu class he was going to teach and said you'll like it because IT'S REAL and I lean over and whispered yes, because all the other martial arts – they are just imaginary…). I just did a lot of deep breathing, (in through the nose out through the mouth) and tried to focus on The Kid's smiles, despite the fact that obnoxious instructor has got a new whistle that he blows loudly as if we are in a gym as opposed to a tiny karate studio that's smaller than your average convenience store. See how weirdly enmeshed I am in this?! Why? Why? Why?


But, hooray for me, I got through the class without getting all angsty and was able to get dinner on the table with a smile instead of feeling all desperate and angry about the state of The Kid's karate lessons and the instructor from hell.


But enough about me. At bedtime, The Kid has begun listening to his MP3 player while we wait for Dad to come in and read HP and the Half-Blood Prince. Last night, he said, "Mom, come jam with me." He held out one of his ear buds and with our faces very close together we both listened to REM's "Stand" while singing along. It was magically intimate and wonderful. When Lefty came in, they did the same thing with John Lennon's "Whatever Gets You through the Night". Again, face to face magic.

2 comments:

  1. I love these intimate moments. They are so honest and sweet.

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  2. Please tell me you get to have these little moments even as your kids grow up!

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