First Week TBRI

Well, that is a bit stretched....should say "First Week After TBRI Refresher".

So after a weekend of "drinking from a fire hydrant" I was trying to remember and use some of the connection principles as well as prepare for a speech on Wednesday and finish the next issue of Adoption News.

So Tuesday found me baking bread and Shekinah was right there "helping". I wanted to put supper in the crock pot too, so I left her play with a cup of flour.

Thinking all the while "what a good mama! getting things done and daughter is doing some sensory stuff, we should be good to go for the rest of the day."

Silly mama...
So the floury mess got bigger and bigger and finally it was time to clean up.
While I washed the dishes that didn't fit in the dishwasher, I asked her to get the dust pan and brush and clean up the mess down the front of the cupboards and on the floor.
She cheerfully found the tools and was sweeping away. I turned and saw her dumping the contents of the dust pan on my freshly wiped counter!

TBRI went straight out the window, "Shekinah! you know better! you don't put dirt on the counter, now go get your dress like I told you to!

Way to go mom!

She fled, down to the basement to get her dress (earlier she just couldn't go down there without me).

I spent a couple of seconds...well maybe 120 of them, thinking   about connection.

So I went down to find her hiding in the dresses, you know, just the feet showing below the skirts. In her hand she had a "going away" dress. (groan, I had told her earlier not to get that dress, but to leave it for the evening when we were going away).
One thing at a time...."Come here, I see you found your dress"  Held her and then, "Is this the dress you want to wear?"  She nods.
I held her a bit, then said "come, lets get you dressed and clean up the counter together."
She came with me,  and we cleaned up the flour together, then she wiped her hands and said, " I'll go get an everyday dress and save that one for tonite."

Yes, dear, this time we both "got our act together"

There have been more times this week, when the mindfulness is paying off....chug, chug, chug, chug.