Trying New Things

I'm on the brink of my last week of maternity leave (which makes me want to cry, just a bit). This coming week also happens to April vacation, so E. is home. In addition to emotionally and logistically preparing myself to go back to work in a little over a week, I thought we'd take the time to try a couple of new things.

1.) Kiddo Yoga. I am by no means a gym rat, but I did take a couple of classes when I was in college - Zumba and yoga. I really enjoyed the relaxing, focusing effect yoga had on me. I'm naturally a pretty high strung, slightly frazzled person. Taking the time to look inward helped me channel my energy in more constructive ways once I left the class. I think most college students would benefit from a little time on the yoga mat, if only to get them through finals week or internships.

With all that in mind, I've been thinking to myself that maybe I (and college students) aren't the only ones who could benefit from the effects of yoga. While E. isn't quite as bad off as I am in terms of anxiety and high strung, little dog yappiness energy, she gets worked up pretty quickly and easily and can be on screech all day long until she crashes at bedtime. Practicing a little bit of yoga might be just the thing for both of us to relax, refocus our energy, and help us get back into our new normal next week when I return to work. If we really enjoy it, it's certainly something I'd like to continue even once I'm back to work, in the evenings.

I'll let you know how it goes.

2.) Finger knitting. Last spring I taught myself some of the very basics of knitting (casting on, knit, and pearl). After finding some pretty awesome blogs written by some inspiring and like-minded moms, I've been re-energized to begin knitting again and learn a bit more (like, I don't know, how to start and finish an actual project??). E. has taken a pretty big interest in my knitting (she's like me - she loves anything with pretty colors and nice texture). I discovered finger knitting some time ago online, and while it might be an overly ambitious project to start with my five year old (neither one of us are terribly patient people), I think it might be worth a try. I remember my mom teaching me how to hand sew (another project I'd like to take on with E. this summer) when I was probably five or six, and it was probably one of the best gifts my mom gave me. Years later I still hand sew (quilts, nursing covers, pillows, doll clothes, etc.) and it's a hobby I can share with my mom (and hopefully, starting this week and ending over the summer, she's finally going to teach me how to machine sew, something I've been reluctant to learn for years). I hope that knitting and sewing can be a shared between E. and I (and my mom, too!) for years to come.