Meditating With A Toddler

I wish I could write that the execution of my decision to practice yoga and meditate every morning instead of doing morning pages was easy. It could be easy except for a few things in my household.

Sunday was the first morning I tried this. I wanted to get up before my family but the time change threw a frog in the works. I practiced yoga for about 10 minutes and then settled down to meditate with my legs crossed, anticipating already that my right hip and knee would be aching by the time I was complete. I told myself it didn't matter that Ava, my little girl who turns two tomorrow, was awake, that seeing me sit quietly for 20 mintues would be new but in time she'd get used to it.

For the first five minutes I listened to her happy babble as she walked around the room with her cheerios. Then something heavy sat in my lap that smelled vaguely of warm pee. No worries, it was Ava in a wet diaper I hadn't changed yet. I brought my mind back again and again as she sat in my lap. Maybe she was meditating too? After all, it would be really strange to see super-busy Mom sitting still for a while. After a while she got up and I resumed my attention to breathing. I peeked at the clock. Ten minutes complete; ten to go.

A couple minutes passed and something soft was put in my lap. Then the something soft started playing baa, baa black sheep. I opened my eyes and it was this frog. Ava pushed his hand so he would play classical bedtime music, put her hands together in the sleep sign at her head. I couldn't help it, I started laughing. I wondered if anyone, anywhere had ever had to meditate with Leap Frog Baby Tad in their lap.

Five minutes to go, I can do this. If I can meditate now, I can do it anytime, anywhere, with any distraction. I moved Baby Tad to the floor and sat quietly. I did make it, not through the tribulations that past heros and warriors had to battle as they calmed their minds, but through the everyday normal household activities of a Mom with a toddler.

Yesterday morning I got up before them. What a treat to meditate in the darkness of 6AM with candles! I was more calm than after morning pages!

Today though, Ava woke first after sleeping an unusual 11 and a half hours (6:30PM to 6AM). Oh no. Yoga practice happened around her on the mat. Baby cobra happened with her sitting on my back legs; downward dog with her sitting in the umbrella created by my bent torso. While she brushed her teeth (asking three times for more "paste") I did about five sun salutes to stretch the aches out of my body.

Now she's dumping her dry cheerios into her booster seat and buckling the seat belt. Perhaps so they are not injured if the chair stops abruptly? I will never know.

I'm going to meditate now and I will report back on the distractions.

p.s. from 4/5
This morning I had to get up at 4:45AM to have time to yoga/meditate before getting to Mountain View by 7. I thought, finally!, a slice of perfect quiet. Then T woke up, walked over and sat in my lap imitating Ava from Monday. I couldn't help but laugh!