Keep Calm and Carry on

Last week was a beautiful week.  I finally graduated to something called, “school.”  Hello?!  Heaven.  I get to drop her off and have time...3 times a week?!  Really?  Where was this before?  I love it, I love it, I love it. (kicking my leg up high).  Why did I wait so long?  It is a thing of beauty.  I had a great fall week, saw the light at the end of the tunnel, and felt peace and contentment.  It was the best week that I've had in a while.  Schedules are back, we got a groove, and we are feeling good.  Well, most of us.  My 3 year old daughter is adjusting. She did absolutely wonderful but, she is adjusting.   I think she is feeling a little out of control with school and dance and time without Mommy.  So, she is trying to control something, that something is her poop.  BLART! More to come on that fiasco…

Last Saturday, my friend and I went to an exercise class and then stopped for coffee.  We went next door to a cute little shop that sells gifts, trinkets, bags, shoes, and everything in between.  They displayed beautiful signs with inspiring quotes all around the store.  I always find myself wanting to buy things like this, but I never do.  One of them said, “Keep Calm and Carry on” I have definitely seen it before, but I really wanted to buy it.  I looked at my friend and said, “I’m somehow writing a blog about this.”  I had no idea what to write about, until today.

Isn’t it true that our children are completely in tune with our demeanors?!  I remember when my 3 year old was born, I was determined to be calm and relaxed so that she could be calm and relaxed.  She was the calmest baby ever.  A dream.  I had a little more anxiety with the second, and so did she.  Is it her nature?  Could be?!  Is it me…possibly?!  A mixture of both, absolutely!  Sheesh!  I probably created half of it. Ha! 

Lately, I have been trying to recognize the moments of high anxiety and squash them.  Kaput.  But, there are moments that I feel stressed and overwhelmed and all hell breaks loose in my house.  Go figure.  I can’t see the fact that I caused it until later.  Hindsight is 20/20.  And then there are other times that I remain completely calm in the face of adversity and I surprise myself that I can be like that.  I surprise myself as a mom, in a good way for once. 

Back to my 3 year old.  She hadn’t pooped since Wednesday night, the night before her first full afternoon of school.  ie., she is CONSTIPATED with a CAPITAL P!!!! Get it?

Day 5 and going strong.  Today was the day that s”it hit the fan….

I will not go into detail but let’s just say it was a s”it show....

Surprisingly, I stayed calm instead of getting worked up to match her fear.  I was able to relax her and get a handle of the situation.  People who know me know that I am a pretty calm, controlled person, but sometimes I can be short, strict, and impatient.  Days that I am hopped up on caffeine, I guess.  Anyway, we got through it and then I thought about that sign in the store.  Afterward, (an hour and a half later) I sat with both of my girls and colored.  I felt a sense of peace and a sense of pride.  I was able to keep calm and carry on.  We got through the moment and moved on to the next thing.  We all colored in peace for a little while.  I wish I could always be like that.  I know it is impossible.  We can’t always be cool, calm, and collected all the time, not with these kids running the show.   We all have days that we lose it.  And we all have days where we feel like we can do it.  We have moments that we feel like we are pretty good at this.  Vice versa.  A good week, a good day, everyone is happy; it means nothing if I can’t be good for my daughter when she is in pain and needs me.   It means nothing if I’m short tempered when she needs me to be relaxed.  I’m glad my feathers stayed unruffled this time.  I’m glad they pointed in the right direction at the right time.  Tomorrow, prune juice to the rescue!!  Any other ideas?  Hopefully we won’t have another repeat performance.

Anyway….I wanted to buy that sign but I was thinking that I had no where to put it.  It was black and white and doesn’t go with anything I have.  But, who cares!!!  I’m going back to get it.  I’m going to hang it somewhere I can see it.  Remind myself not to get anxious or overwhelmed.  Remind myself that it is all ok.  Remind myself to keep calm and carry on….

NOTE: Keep Calm and Carry On was a propaganda poster produced by the Government of the United Kingdom in 1939 during the beginning of the Second World War, intended to raise the morale of the British public in the event of a Nazi invasion of Britain. It had only limited distribution, so was little known. The poster was rediscovered in 2000 and has been re-issued by a number of private companies, and used as the decorative theme for a range of products. It was believed there were only two known surviving examples of the poster outside government archives^[1] until a collection of 15 originals was brought in to the Antiques Roadshow in 2012 by the daughter of an ex-Royal Observer Corps member.^[2]