Streakin!!!

If you are on FB you have probably seen the video of Izzy patting her belly.  She has been obsessed with her belly for quite a while now.  Each time she lifts her shirt, she grins with amazement.  When do we stop doing that?  When I look down at my belly, I cringe most days!  Sure when I was pregnant it was acceptable to pat my own belly and look happy about it, but other than that it is not socially acceptable to engage in belly patting.  This got me thinking about other childhood actions that are no longer acceptable after a certain point, and how much happier we might be if they were.  


There are some obvious advantages to being a toddler.  Sure there is the old tantrum.  Who wouldn't feel better if every few hours you just lied down on the floor and screamed, kicked, and cried until you forgot what got you started?  And lets not forget the ability to take a nap every single day!  I have been watching Izzy and there are several things I have noticed bring her lots of joy.  They are all things that are no longer appropriate for adults to do, and I wonder why?


Aside from the belly pat, Izzy's newest joyful moment is the post bath streak.  After she allows us to dry her for a few seconds, she stands up and is off to her room, butt neked!    She looks so free and happy and she shivers and runs to her room.  She almost prances to her changing table, oblivious to the cold air and any flaws in her body.  Why do we stop that?  Wouldn't our days be better if we started/ended them with an innocent streak from the bathroom:) 


And what about the determination of children?  If I failed half as much as Izzy does everyday I would sit in the fetal position and drink lots of BudLight.  Yet, she like most little ones,  just gets up and tries again.  Usually with a smile or her tongue sticking out in concentration.   I wonder where that spirit comes from.  Maybe it is the same stuff Olympic Athletes possess and they somehow hold on to it.  The rest of us let that determination fade away as we get older.


 I also think how different the world would be if we all wore our feelings and opinions on our sleeves like a toddler.  One look at a toddler and you know if they are happy, sad, frustrated, contemplative.   You also know how they feel about the actions of others around them due to the boisterous giggles of happiness or the screams of anger!  Sure there might be a lot more anger and meaness in the open if we all acted this way, but wouldn't the honesty be refreshing?  Toddlers don't know how to "fake" it. They are just who they are and the feel what they feel.


Finally, there is the adventure of meal time.  Sure it is gross, but wouldn't it be great if you could just get rid of half chewed food becuase you changed your mind?  All the picky eaters of the world would agree with me.  There is nothing worse than taking a big bite of something and 5 seconds later realizing it is the most disgusting thing you have ever put in your mouth.  The situation is usually made ever worse by the lack of a paper napkin to "spit" the food into.  What if we all had a bib with a pocket and we just opened our mouth and let the yucky food fall into the pocket?  Would make life so much easier for the picky people!  Izzy's face when she spits out food is priceless.  She gets this mischievous grin.  Already she knows it isn't okay to do it, but out the food comes anyway!   I know that it has lots to do with manners and etiquette, but why do we loose all the joy in the simple things we do?  Why don't we find happiness in being a little mischievous?  I am going to try and be more joyful and mischievous in my life.  After all, it is a very short prance from my bathroom to my room!