Imagination Overdrive

They say an active imagination is good for kids to have. And Mimi has a GREAT one. But lately, it's taking a toll on mommy. No one ever tells you that when your kids have imaginary "games" going on, you're required to participate too. Which is fine if you're playing together...we play store and pet shop and all of those things. That's great. But lately Mimi's imaginary play has seeped into regular life. Regular "mommy's already stressed out about REAL life" life.

Exhibit A: Mimi has been playing "Birthday Party." This requires that I cater to her imaginary friends who are with us ALL day (mostly Gentry and Molly Paws Swanson...but also Mya and Mikaela and Charlotte and Aidan and Finn too). I get her a drink, then she asks for drinks for her friends. Yes, they are imaginary drinks for imaginary friends, but exhausting just the same. She'd like an imaginary pizza party, with imaginary (actually REAL cake) and games that I help with. Again, this is fine and great if it's in a 30 minute window where I can play with her. However, this is ALL DAY.

Yesterday wasn't my greatest of days. Life was getting the best of me and I was out of skills to cope.

In NOT my gentlest voice, I kept telling Mimi that I couldn't play pretend right now...Mommy was scrapping mud off her and her REAL friends' shoes before we went into BSF, or Mommy was wrestling a poop-covered Bode down to the ground to change him, or Mommy was rocking in a corner trying to block out the "MAMA MAMA MAMAs" coming from Bode's room where he was supposed to be sleeping so I could clean our house for a coffee date later.

Then I felt bad. 

I felt bad for not participating in Mimi's creative play. For dismissing her all day and telling her to "wait" and "just one second" and "NOT RIGHT NOW!!!!"

So let's just say that last night, after the chaos had subsided and Ben was home to help with an overly cranky Bode, I put a candle on a little cake we had (thanks Kathy :), made a birthday sign, and wrapped up some of Mimi's toys. We sang Happy Birthday (and tried not to giggle at the seriousness of Mimi's face while we did it) and I tried to make up for my crankiness.

They always say it's not always how you start, it's how you end, don't they? 

(well, at least that's the motto I like to call when we've had a horrible day, but I manage to cuddle my emotionally-intune 4 year old and hopefully melt away memories of frazzled mom,with each hug or cartoon watched together before bed).

*after all the shenanigans I did clarify to Mimi that her birthday was over, and we wouldn't be repeating that all for the next day. She agreed. And then decided that she was Angelina Ballerina and reprimands me every time I forget and call her Mimi. It's precious, it's precious, it's precious...that's what I keep trying to remind myself. Then I tell myself that I will miss her sweet simple imaginary stage. 

Then I stick out my tongue at the Pollyanna living in my brain who came up with that mantra and tell her that she can take a hike because right now I'm tired, and that I don't need one more imaginary battle going on. 

Hopefully the two sides will meet in the middle. *