Am I really in the moment?

A few weeks ago, I posted this photo on my Instagram with the caption, "Callum loves sitting in the bathroom with me while I get ready for the day, and I have a feeling his interest in my morning routine is not going to last. So, I'm more than willing to sacrifice an eye shadow palette or two during this time."

In this one moment, I was there. I was soaking it in, watching my son as he was swiping my make up brush across his face and holding my breath as he attempted to open my mascara. However, ten seconds earlier I was irritated that he was even in the bathroom at all, slowing down my routine and just getting in the way.

In fact, I appreciated nothing about this moment until I realized I could Instagram it. After capturing the shot and seeing this minute from a different angle (literally), that's when I fell in love with it. 

I'm all too often guilty of exactly this.

When Callum wants to help me stir the pancake batter in the morning or crack an egg into the pan, I often roll my eyes and stress out about the inevitable mess. When Callum pulls out the big box of Legos after I just picked them up for the millionth time that day, I often exhale deeply and walk out of the room. When Callum wants to pick out the shirt he wants to wear, I tend to say no and just make the decision because I think we don't have the minute to spare.

Everyday, I tell myself I am appreciating the moment and soaking in all the the little things, but am I really? I would have to say the answer to that is a big, fat "No." So, the next question is, how can I change that? How can I slow down these little moments and just be more present in them?

Since no one has figured out how to slow down time, I'll have to cross that option off my list. My next idea is to set a goal and write it down, which sort of starts with this post right here. Every morning when I wake up, I'm going to remind myself to pick one moment during the day when I focus on nothing else other than the present. I won't worry about the time. I won't worry about the mess. I won't worry about my to-do list. I will just be there. Soaking it all in.

My plan is to do this for the next month. 30 days of little things. It is my hope that after this month, I'm a more present parent than I've ever been. With Callum a few weeks shy of turning two, I'm discovering now more than ever just how fleeting every moment is. It's time for me to make a much greater effort at soaking them all in.

So, come along for the ride. Soak in the little things and follow along as I make an effort to be a more present mom. Interested in challenging yourself, too? Share your everyday moments with me using #30littlethings. Let's inspire each other to be in the moment.