He’s a theatrical dude, this one. And so silly. Always putting on performances, assuming different characters, and constantly making us laugh. I still smile remembering the time we were mopping the kitchen floor together and he came in with garden gloves on his feet (so he wouldn’t slip, he informed me) and then we realized they looked just like frog feet and we couldn’t stop laughing whenever we looked at them. I love the times he has put socks on his hands to harvest the “pokey cucumbers” and all the little things he does all the time to make me smile. Every now and then I get pictures of some of his costumes and these pictures are from two favorite costumes recently, on two different days, a sunny day and a rainy day. Both times I dropped what I was doing and grabbed my camera to capture his fantastic creativity.

All parents know the toys that sit around not getting any use, but the little wooden trunk Bracken has that is filled with dress up clothes is in constant use around here, we don’t have to worry about it sitting around collecting dust. The dress up bin is one of the things he uses most. It’s got his chef’s hat and apron (which he grabs regularly for kitchen projects), a boa from grandma that sheds feathers everywhere like a little trail behind him, old glasses without lenses, play silks (that can create all kinds of costumes), a magic dancing vest, and silly hats. Many nights there are dancing performances and almost daily he emerges into the room exclaiming “I’m a new person!” (If you’re looking for something thrifty to inspire imaginative play with your kiddos, I highly recommend a dress up bin. You can find treasures secondhand, but you’d be surprised how many things you can find that you already have.)

Thinking back, I was a theatrical performer when I was growing up, just like Bracken. I loved using the video camera to make movies. I also had an imaginary friend named “Dude.” I could go into my room, enter the vortex in the middle of my bed, and then I could emerge as Dude, complete with my white wonder bread hat. Dude was a surfer from California, his favorite food was sushi, and he talked funny.

This morning Bracken woke up and saw some paper birthday hats that I had just discovered I’d saved from last year, because they were still in good condition. He got a mischievous look in his eyes, put one on his head, another on mine, and said he wanted to go downstairs and pretend it was my birthday to his dad. He grabbed one more hat for Jeff and then when we located him working in his shop, Bracken jumped up and down saying “Mama Happy Birthday!” with so much enthusiasm, Jeff stopped dead in his tracks. He had a moment of panic, stammering “wait a minute… it’s still August…. it’s not even September yet…” And then we cracked up laughing. For a moment there, Jeff really thought he had forgotten my birthday. When he realized he hadn’t and the relief ensued (remembering dates isn’t his strong suit, but when the time gets closer he usually asks things like “Isn’t our anniversary coming up?” and I help him out), he thought Bracken was hilarious.

I’ve always loved kids. Playing with them, being silly with them. I just adore children. I’ve been surprised to find that since becoming a parent, I have to stretch myself further to play and have fun again. It didn’t come as easily as it once did and there were times I felt like I wasn’t fun anymore or wasn’t as great with kids as I once was. I think it’s because you’re more exhausted when you’re a parent, not as full of energy as you were babysitting or playing with someone else’s kids once upon a time. Sometimes Bracken calls me a mean mom and sometimes I feel like one. Sometimes I’m really tired of having my boundaries tested all day long every day. Sometimes I’m tired of setting limits, of saying no, of cleaning up messes. Tired of being responsible, being busy all the time, and feeling exhausted. Don’t we all feel that way sometimes? Our kids help us to laugh, to lighten up, to see the bigger picture. They remind us to let our inner silliness shine and to have a sense of humor, because life is a whole lot more fun that way. Children bring many gifts into our lives. For tonight, the one gift near and dear to my heart is the reminder to simply: be silly. Be Silly!