Namaste

So, I've been trying to get back into doing yoga. I really enjoy it and I'm trying to add exercise back into my life in ways that don't depress me. However, whenever I try to do some yoga poses around Chloe, she laughs and climbs under me (she especially likes downward-facing dog) and turns to peek up at me and giggle.

My friend, Melanie, suggested that perhaps Chloe needs to feel part of the yoga experience in her own regard. So, I bought the muppet her very own yoga mat. Mine is purple, with some cool design on it. Hers is blue and is covered with turtles.

She was intrigued right away, as she watched me roll out the two mats and lay them side by side. I found some free yoga on demand (I heart Fios) and we were off to the races! We all did the first pose: the lady on TV, me on my mat and Chloe on hers... and I foolishly thought, "Ah ha! Problem solved!"

After one pose, though, Chloe was ready to do yoga WITH me. On my mat... and by "do yoga with me," I really mean "laugh and climb under me, turning to peek up and giggle." Over and over and over again as if Mommy in downward dog = tunnel for Chloe. Then, she started moving her mat all around and I thought, "Well, I could put her back on the mat and try to get her to start paying attention, but how inappropriate to try to define someone else's yoga experience."

Then, she started trying to grab my mat and move it around and I thought I should employ reverse psychology. So, I abandoned my mat in favor of hers and returned to the series of poses. Chloe stopped what she was doing, came onto the mat, stamped a foot and said, "MINE." Okie dokie. So, I returned to the purple mat... and she followed me! I tried employing the same technique: "MINE," but she looked at me as if I had taken complete leave of my senses... as if to say, "Silly, Mommy - your stuff is mine, too!"

Anyway, I made it thru the 15 minute routine and did most of it. Chloe did one pose and then her own version of cardio. Finally, I sat on my mat to take a deep breath and she brought over some books for me to read to her. So, we snuggled and read.

BUT.

She did do one pose.

And this morning, she tried to line the mats up on the floor and didn't want to leave... so I promised her we would do more yoga tonight.

So, I think we can safely call this a start.

"Namaste, Chloe."

"Namaste, Mommy."