Dirt is not a bad thing
I’m learning that dirt is not a bad thing. This is a difficult lesson for me to learn but I am trying, and I believe, learning quite well. You see, I’m not a huge fan of dirt. I am a bit of a girly girl. I know, it’s hard to believe. Especially of a girl who wears a tiara and dresses her daughter almost exclusively in shades of pink. (albeit functional pinks…we don’t do frilly fluff)
I’ve been a bit of a Hovering Mummy. But I’m learning to let go. I used to sweep in at the first sign of mess, with a wipe at the ready. Let’s face it, I still do that somewhat but I’m learning to at least let the dirt have a chance with Little Miss before it’s obliterated. And I do let Little Miss make a mess when she’s eating. I don’t think she’s neurotic about food or mess. I think it’s down to wanting to have a presentable child. Perhaps down to my need for others to perceive me as being a proper mummy by seeing my child as neat and tidy? Yes, I suppose I should seek psychological help!
Little Miss is nearly two years old. She’s loves being outside and we’re trying to teach her about food and gardening so she knows where her food comes from. The picture above was taken as we started our gardening adventure. Little Miss was more than eager to dig in, literally, to the compost bag and help Daddy (much to his consternation). She loves to help us water the seedlings and is more than eager to go out with Grandad and tend to the tomatoes (much to his consternation I’m sure).
Yesterday we went to the inlaws to spend the afternoon and tend to our future harvest. Little Miss practised her watering technique and we found that our seedlings are actually becoming PLANTS! Who knew?? But the real test to Mummy’s mettle came later in the afternoon when we took a walk up the road. My inlaws live in a glorious little hamlet on a one-track road. It’s the perfect place for any Little Miss to explore and enjoy. And it has the occasional muddy puddle.
Little Miss ended up SOAKED! Muddy water IN her wellies; Muddy water up her legs; Muddy water soaked through to her onesie! “I blame you” I said to hubby. But I didn’t mind…really. I want her to have fun; to get wet and dirty and not be a nutter like her mother. So I stayed out of it. Well, I definitely stayed out of the mud but I stayed out of HOVER mode. And got some lovely pictures in the process. But wait…it got harder for me when we went home!
Hubby decided, upon returning home, that the 50 degree (Farenheit…I’m American and still don’t do well with Celcius…I suppose it was about 10 degrees??) Sunday afternoon, gloomy weather was a good time to plant our strawberry plants in the giant terra cotta planter we had laying around. Of course, Little Miss HAD to help her Daddy.
Aw, precious! And Mummy only was twitching a little bit. But do you know what came next? Well, hubby put the sprinkler in the garden after Little Miss had helped him spread compost all over the grass. Little Miss took one look at that spray and headed straight for it! Despite the air and water temperatures, she was in it! Running through it, jumping over it, having her breath taken away by it. She was soaked AGAIN! However, I was prepared. I had run a warm, bubbly bath and as soon as the novelty of the sprinkler wore off and the shivering settled in, hubby helped me to scoop her up and deposit her in the bath. Done! Dirt gone, order restored. One very happy girl and one very happy mummy. Dirt is not a bad thing after all. It’s my new mantra.
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Dirt is BRILLIANT! It is the thing around which most of our days revolve. Great photos – little Miss looks like she’s having a great time
I’m getting better, aren’t I? And thanks for the lovely comment about photos…I still find that there’s hardly a photo of Little Miss & me but tonnes of her looking adorable!
Toddlergirl is a dirt magnet – you should see her after she’s been helping me with diggin’ and outside jobs… I’ve had to hose her down on the back step before now to save her transferring too much on the way to the bath!
I’m glad she’s enjoying gardening – B adored being able to go and pick fruit and veg off the plant and eat it right there!
I’m hoping the same happens with Little Miss as she’s not a huge veg fan generally! I’m trying to lighten up…it’s a bit tricky but I’ll get there in the end.
Oh wait till you have a boy, dirt is everything, nothing is clean or stays clean Mini is know as “noise with muck on”
You’d have enjoyed my daughter’s Kindergarten last week. They were doing the letter D, and one of the activities was to put glue on paper in two shapes: D and d. Then we went out into the playground with plastic spoons, and they scooped up dirt to sprinkle on the paper. When they tipped it off, the dirt was stuck on the two letter shapes, like using glitter.
I’m not sure that I really thought it was all that good an idea, actually. But the kids seemed to enjoy it. And I preferred it to when they were doing the letter B, and chewed up bubble gum, took it out of their mouths, pulled it into strings and draped it on paper in a B shape!
EWWWW…what’s going to happen when they get to “P”??? I’m worried. Good old American creativity!
Yes, I am grateful for my girl!
Dirt is very good. Love the new look blog and your gorgeous girl!
Oh, Karin, Karin, Karin…. As the mother of two very “spirited” little boys, dirt has become a way of life. I know dirt. Well. You CANNOT keep a little boy out of the dirt no matter how hard you try. For your sanity (due to your self-proclaimed issues with dirt), I am so glad you have a darling little girl who only has a passing interest in getting dirty. She is a doll!
Thanks Corinne! I’m learning about dirt…I need to do better but Little Miss is getting her fair share of mess, that’s for sure!