Friday, July 31, 2009

The Healing Properties of a Tea Party

The NATUI household has been struck by the dreaded summer cold this week. The kids had it for a day each. Me? Three full days. I have been curled up in the fetal position on my couch or my bed with an aching head and stuffy nose. I am usually the unaffected one in the household. Apparently, my immune system was too cocky for its own good.

Yesterday afternoon, my daughter wanted me to have a tea party and could not wrap her head around the concept that I needed to be prone. Laid out. Head and feet at the same elevation. From the couch I told her she could set her tea set on the coffee table so that I could watch her from my nest of blankets and wadded up tissues. She grumped around for a while, until she decided she would make me a bed. On the floor. Why that was somehow better than the couch I will never understand, but her eyes lit up as she dragged pillows and duvets out of the bedrooms and created a giant queen-sized pallet in the middle of our living room. She tucked me into it with toys and teddy bears, patted my head so I would feel better and then served tea.

It was totally awesome.

I have been having little niggling doubts lately if being home with my kids has been a good thing. It has been an exhausting summer with very few breaks. Hubbie's job is keeping me in nearly single parent status, and I've not had any personal outlets to recharge my energy. My tea party yesterday went a long way in making me feel better. Emotionally and physically. My daughter and I were able to to find a solution to a mismatch of expectations, and it turned out brilliantly.

Now, she's setting up another tea party and has been patiently waiting for me to finish this post. I wonder what she is serving?

9 comments:

Mrs. Booms said...

crazyman and I just had a tea party last night!

Feel better.

People in the Sun said...

My baby never made me a bed! He does smile at me every once in a while, which is worth all the niggling doubts.

So Not Wishy Washy said...

That is just beautiful. Of COURSE you staying home with the kids has been worth it all. I don't know how you do it, but I know it's worth it.

Irrational Dad said...

Awwwe... That's fun. Feel better soon <3

Patois42 said...

So sweet when they know -- better than ourselves -- what we need.

Anonymous said...

That's so sweet. It's nice to see yours and her interests collide nicely. Get well soon.

Coal Miner's Granddaughter said...

Aren't those moments just amazing? So very glad!

Hope this next party includes some Earl Grey and scones. :)

A Free Man said...

Phew, I thought you were going to tell us that you went to one of those nut-job Right Wing tea parties. I was beginning to worry about you...

Not Afraid to Use It said...

@Betsey: I think tea parties with boys are the bomb! Did he make sandwiches for you, too?

@PeopleIntheSun: Those smiles make it all worth it.

@Wishy: Some days it is hard to remember WHY I am at home, but moments like these do help ground me.

@Joe: Thanks! I'm all healed up.

@Patois: To see the growing intuitiveness in my children takes my breath away.

@faemom: Anything involving food and I am all over it!

@CMGD: Do you know I asked if one of the pitchers had Earl Gray. She told me yes!

@AFreeMan: If you ever catch me going to one of those my husband will pay for your plane ticket to come over here and personally kick my ass. LOL