Does Life get in your way?

Recently, I have found myself noticing that I am making excuses for not catching up with people.....with the over-used phrase of "Life just gets in the way".  I said it to a friend during the week who I haven't caught up with in months....and I said it again last night to a very close friend whom I seem to pass on the highway. 

This week I vowed to be different.  I would be present to everyone - especially little Macie.

We have spent mornings at the Library, milkshake dates with friends, playdates at the park....and Mummy's undivided attention.  Life wasn't getting in the way this week....and when it did - I tried my damnest to make it fun, interesting...and tantrum-free.

I feel like everytime I look at Macie - she is loosing another layer of 'Baby'.  Every day she becomes more independent, more intelligent and more stubborn.  It's at times like these that she needs guidance and love (sometimes a bit of tough-love to outweigh the stubbornness!) - and she needs nothing to get in the way.

She now has worked out how to open gates and is adamant that she will only wear her little knickers out in the garden.....layer by layer is slowing shredding and blooming into my beautiful big girl.

We baked cookies which were far from tasty after having one too many fingers in the dough.....but she didn't care....she loved the giggles and the privilege of being able to lick the beaters.....she didn't want perfection.

All Macie cared about was being able to wear her pretty dress over her pyjamas and being able to stick her fingers in the cookie dough.....and then being able to spend the morning in the garden with her puppy without Mummy needing to go somewhere....or do something.  Instead I sat there with a cuppa in my hand, jeans rolled up to my knees and bathed in the glory of childhood giggles and sunshine. 

Life didn't get in the way this week with long baths with her Daddy all while their giggles echoed through the cottage.  To even it all out, we had our fair share of tantrums and mexican-Macie-standoffs....but what would parenting be without them?  You need those moments to treasure the beauties....and really savour them.

So even though the cottage is certainly under-siege by toys and games - it is bursting with love and giggles. 

Next time I say to myself or my friends "Life just gets in the way"....I am going to ensure that it's a life that is filled with memories and more importantly, creating the memories.

For Life is too short to let it get in the way of having fun.....

 especially with this little one.