Let's face it--I am not a good mom before 6:30AM. If I hear Claire earlier than this, a signal is sent to my brain that says, "UGH. This day is going to be awful. She's going to be cranky and tired, and her nap probably won't be good, then she'll have 20 tantrums for things which I have no idea, and getting to bedtime is going to be a marathon." Not the best thoughts for first thing in the morning! Maybe I should start meditation or something... Anyway, Nathan has really come through in the clutch recently. Whatever it is about 5 more minutes in bed is amazing, and really helps me through the day. That was this morning. Then, it's going to the store to get me medication when I couldn't stand up straight last week due to some food-borne bacteria which I contracted at a party. Then, it's taking Claire one super-early Saturday morning and letting me sleep. Then, it's all of the things which make me so grateful that I'm just married, and not a single mom (ie: providing, protecting, etc). But, the main thing that I've been thinking about recently is the calm presence which (most) men have in comparison to women. As I mentioned before, Claire is in tantrum territory, somedays driving me to the brink of insanity. Toddlers are so cute and so fun when their needs are met, and I think Heavenly Father made them this adorable to balance out the terror of the internal struggles they go through. These tantrum-filled days are really hard for me, and I don't like that they make me so frustrated. I wish I could deal with them like the mom on "Caillou" deals with them. But, a day of tantrums makes me frustrated with her, then I feel guilty that I got frustrated, and it's that whole cycle. Over the long weekend that we spent as a family, I realized that since Nathan was home, it was much more calm, and that both Claire and I were able to get through these struggles with much more peace in our hearts. It was wonderful, and it made me grateful that Nathan doesn't get worked up or super emotional, but just accepts things and deals with them in a calm manner. I remember my dad (also super calm and level-headed) explaining once that women and men really help balance each other because women (generality) are more like an up-and-down wave on a graph, and men (generality) are like a straight line. I'm so grateful for the calm presence of husbands and their constant help. Marriage is indeed a divine plan because we truly need each other for so many reasons.
**Later tonight: I think I was blessed for showing a bit of gratitude because today Claire and I had a perfect day. No tantrums, 3+ hour nap, and a super happy baby. Loved every second. It's these days which wipe out the harder ones and make me excited to see her tomorrow!
2 comments:
I hear ya, Whit! Many situations that get me all worked up don't really phase Mike as much -- and vice versa. A great marriage really is the complement of two different halves. Kuddos to Nate & you both!
Whit - You are brilliant! I agree a hundred percent. How can men be so unemotional, decisive, and have the confidence to know that "this too will pass". Some of Dad's favorite standard statements over the years were, "It's just a phase he/she is going through", "She'll be fine", "He'll be OK", and "I used to do things just like that when I was a kid!"
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