Music Class

Miss M "graduated" today from music class. We enrolled her in this music class shortly after we moved to Tokyo. It is a 3 year program and since everything here starts in April for the "new" year, her graduation was today. Once they complete the 3 years, the children can pursue piano lessons with the same program and they teach piano based on the foundation they built in the music classes. The K Man will start the music program in just a few short weeks. I admit, when I saw her walk up and get her little diploma with the class picture on it, I was a bit taken aback. I was happy for her. She has grown so much in these music classes and it has been fun to do them with her. But then I thought of how this is just the first of many steps and graduations. And I got a bit sad. She is growing up. She is supposed to grow up. And, I know I still have a lot of years left with her in the house, 14 to be exact, but they go so quickly. I can already see that. The K Man will be 2 in May...2...and he looks like a 60 year old man with his big tummy and all. Everyone always says "Enjoy this. They grow so fast." And I see how this is true. But I also read a blog post recently about how when people say this, they forget what it is like to have demanding little ones at your feet night and day, day and night. And the blog post encouraged moms to give themselves some slack if they do not always "enjoy this." And today, I lived both of these moments. My morning was awful. I would have given anything for a house with a back yard to throw my kids in while I get laundry folded and lunch fixed. Instead the kids were spilling bubble soap on the tiny balcony and bringing it inside the apartment; I had cardboard boxes everywhere from a few packages we had delivered (one of which was my new pottery which is another blog post, but my friend took me to a pottery street and let's just say, I plan to go back there quarterly and stock up on cool, fun, weird shaped Japanese bowls and dishes to take back with us when we move back to America), and the walls in our tiny apartment were caving in. So, you see, this was the moment of the day when I was not really "enjoying the moment." But then I went to sports class and the mamas got to watch. All of the other moms had their cameras out, but I just sat back, held the K Man in my lap, and enjoyed the moment...soaked it in. I did the same thing at music class and the graduation. I did get a picture, but I soaked in the last class, watching her run around the room acting out the animals that represented the different notes played. I was "enjoying the moment." So I see why people tell you to enjoy the moment. I also see why that author wrote the post I read about cutting yourself some slack when you do not enjoy the moment. I think each day if I enjoy just a little bit of the moment, that would be good! Because I can see, they will go by fast. Who am I kidding, they already are! Enjoy the pictures of our day and one from a birthday party we attended over the weekend...Miss M got to wear her Minnie dress to the princess party and the two sets of siblings posed for a quick picture.