Learning to laugh!

Zoe is finding her laugh more and more, and it's so great to hear it! She's ticklish under her chin, and listening to that guttural giggle turn into an out-loud-laugh makes us laugh too! Ian really wants to join in on the fun, but it turns out getting so close to the smiling one and bonking her head makes giggle disappear! What amazes me is how quickly she forgives...back to that open mouthed, whole face smile in seconds!

Zoe isn't the only one learning to laugh. On my adventures as mom, I'm finding joy in so many things I don't think I ever would have imagined...

For example, how it makes me want to scream like a little girl with joy at a double stroller! Or getting excited that a $3 bag of chicken nuggets doesn't have dairy in it (so Ian can have some nuggets as a quick meal!). I can pick out any kids' toy I want...err, I mean, that Ian wants! How about the simple joys of completing a puzzle all by yourself (it's just as fun with 6 pieces, as 600, and takes a fraction of the time!)? You know those things you search and search the house trying to find? How happy would it make you to see your little child chewing that very item! Eureka! And, I feel like throwing a party for my child when he picks one toy up out of the 500-toy pile and throws it into the bin.

I think I could go on and on! But, mostly it's been those trying moments as a mom I'm learning to laugh about as we make the journey...

"No cookies!" I angrily scold Ian as Matt pushes the cart past the minefield known as, Aisle 10 - Cookies & Crackers. "Why do they even have this aisle?!" I wonder to myself. Instead of saying anything, we hurriedly push the cart down the aisle, hoping that everyone is ignoring the requests coming from the cart. After all they are becoming louder and louder by the second. We're almost done! We can do it! We smile and say hello to people, and excuse ourselves politely. I'm also wondering why Matt isn't pushing the cart faster down this deadly trap. Now at fever pitch, requests from the cart become a full out tantrum. "NOOOOOOOO, WANT COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOKIIIIIIIIEES!" he stretches his arms out like he's reaching for life itself, cookies whizzing by now...

And, as he realizes the cart is NOT stopping, it starts. Ian throws himself wildly and angrily up and down, flailing his arms out as far as he can (I'm sure hoping to knock some cookies into the cart). Matt continues pushing the cart around the corner in frustration, as I've done a million times before (mostly in embarassment of the terror's behavior). I can still hear him screaming for cookies, his bouncing up and down breaking up the words similar to someone driving over an extremely bumpy road and trying to talk. "WAAANT COOKIES! NO! STOP!!!"

Any other time, I'd duck my head, scold the child, and pray the moment would pass without invading anyone else's sanity. Gosh, how did little old me manage to birth the LOUDEST child on the planet?! I could just kick myself for going down that aisle! Why do people have to look at me that way? I didn't do anything but innocently roll my cart down a booby-trapped aisle! Ugh, they were kids once and threw tantrums too! Stop looking at me that way!

But not this time. Today, I burst out laughing. Not just a little chuckle, but honest to goodness belly laughs! I just can't help myself, it's so ridiculous! Over cookies! How truly hysterical. I've felt that upset over things in my life personally, but never cookies (ok, wait, there was that one time).

I don't know why suddenly I was so overcome with the humor of the situation, but there I was laughing in the cookie aisle! I had to continue laughing, and shopping...enduring the exasperated look from Matt as the tantrum peaks and finally ends. It's not funny! Oh, but yes it is! In this crazy violent world we live in, we're so blessed to witness a two year old cry about cookies. No, not just cry, but perform a display for everyone. I chuckle to myself even now, picturing that ridiculous fit rolling by. Hey, it was a show on wheels!

THAT, my friends is another thing to add to the list of what I've learned about being a mom. Just about everything can be funny if you've got the eyes to see that the moment is going to pass before you know it...

...and as a friend of mine told me, I'll be staring up at him, pulling at his whiskers to watch him flinch. Sound like fun at the moment? Eh...But I'm sure I'll be laughing soon! :)



Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. -James 1:2-3