in my world...

...this is the kind of genius playful energy I get to be surrounded by on a daily basis. Tonight, after a rare dinner out at a neighborhood cafe, Asher ran out the door into the night as we were paying for our meal. I went out to find him sitting on one of the chairs set up for people to wait on. I sat down quietly next to him, and because I have had some "trouble" with his listening skills as of late (ummmm...ya, we'll just say that), I felt it was a perfect time to have a heart to heart. I like to think of myself as the kind of mama that allows for her children to explore and seek out adventure...SAFELY. I have a bit of difficulty drawing a line between what warrants redirection and intervention and that which is healthy freedom and exploration into their own discovery of the world. I constantly feel on the fence...unless there is immediate danger...and then I react quickly. So, I suppose my own confusion is what brings about this "challenge" that Asher and I are having with one another. I guess that our communication on when it is really important to listen to mama give some direction about something is getting lost in the mix of how it is OK to heed my advice but still have some autonomy. Anyway...after a long day at the zoo where I felt like I was talking to a brick wall among the THRONGS (and I mean THRONGS) of people...I really felt the need to reach an understanding with this little one on how important it is for him to listen to my direction when I give it...because I try to give it only when it is necessary (although I am sure he has a different interpretation of that). So...I sat down with him and gave a short monologue about how it is really important to listen to mama and to not run away from me...especially when we are around a lot of people and cars...because someone could get hurt or lost...and that I tell him these things because I care about him and I really don't want him to get hurt or lost...and that I think he and I would be really happy if maybe we could listen to each other better about the REALLY important things...like staying close to mama in large crowds of people and not running out the door into the dark streets at night...you know, that kind of stuff. I added that I thought there would be a lot more sweetness in our days if we could help each other out in that way. He agreed...so I thought we should shake on it. I said..."alright, what do you think...should we shake on it?", and as I offered him my hand in agreement, he just started tossing his body about and really SHAKING his booty. He was "shaking on it" in the only way he knew how. And, I gotta say, that is much more fun than just a normal handshake. So we shook on it...in an Asher sort of way...and the moment kind of became this really funny experience for me on the ways young, fresh minds view the world. Of course...let's SHAKE!! And after that...he ran off into the parking lot without me.