On Being a Parent, Living in the Moment
My son, you are two years old. This morning, we woke up and went on an adventure.
After eating a raisin bagel, we hoped in the car, and coasted (most of the way) down to Lake Michigan in Arcadia. There is a small playground there, and I followed you around to see what you would do. First, you tried the merry-go-round. I turned it gently, and you walked around a bit. You were ready for something else. I walked towards the slide, and encouraged to you to get down on your own, which you did, after laying down on your belly, and putting down your feet.
Then, you tried sliding down the big metal slide. I actually tried first, but found that the slide wasn't slippery. Too much friction. I tried scooting down, but ended up hoping off over the side about half way down. You tried. I followed you up the ladder, because a few days earlier, you had almost tipped over and off the top of a slide in Onekama. Today, you got to the top, slide down, but again, too much friction, and you had to try to scoot yourself down the slide... a long way to scoot, especially for you. You it a second try, but the same results. It seemed that there was actually something preventing that slide from working.
I hopped on the big swing for a few, but you were more interested in the bench swings overlooking the lake. "Sit down, Daddy... Right here," you instructed and we swang for a few seconds. Sometimes you will swing for a long time, but today you were ready for something else, and asked if it was time to go.
Instead, we walked down the sandy stair to the beach. The wooden stair was covered with sand, so you half scooted, half walked down. You said "Fire ring," as we walked past one, and you were quite curious about the empty drink bottle which appeared to have been discarded into the circle. We then walked along the shore towards the North, with the Lake on our left, making sure to keep our tracks above the wet beach wave line. It wasn't long before we got to the wooden walls sticking perpendicular out of the shore and into the water. We turned around, but you were interested in walking along one of the walls, which you tried, but the wall was rather uneven on top, and you were ready to try something else.
We walked to the south with the Lake on the right, and even though you were again asking for a car ride, or to go back to Grandma's house, I convinced you to walk a bit more. As we went, we saw some pebbles washed up in a line along the beach, and each wave was just barely keeping them damp. I looked down to see if I might spot a Petosky stone, and to my surprise there was a small one right there, just where I was looking. I gave it to you, and you held it for a bit, and then you started looking for some stones as well. A bit later, you ended up finding one that also looked like a fossil, and we found a nice piece of "sea" glass as well.
It wasn't long before we got to a point where the waves were washing all the way up to the beach grass, so we turned around and headed back. You said you were ready for a car ride, and I pointed out the US flag flying over the parking lot, not far ahead. On our way, we passed a couple with a small dog going in the opposite direction, and then I found another small Petosky Stone, just before we saw some really nice animal tracks... small dog tracks, in the wet beach sand, but headed in the other direction. I told you a bit about what made the tracks, and that you could still see the dog.
When we got back to the fire rings, there was a family that was testing out the water by putting there feet in there. You weren't very interested with that, and so we went back up the sandy stair, and at your request, used the port-a-potty to go pee. For some reason, you asked to go again immediately after we had finished and closed the door... which is something that you've been doing now and again. At this point, I have to still pull down and up your pants, set you on the seat, and hold you there making sure you don't fall in or fall off, plus offering you a bit of paper to wipe up.
We hoped back in the car, and the greater adventure awaited because we climbed the big stair on top of the bluff, and after doing that, we went for a walk in the woods, enjoying some time to sit down and eat some black raspberries. We then took the scenic route home, coasting in neutral much of the way, and by the time we were back to Grandma and Grandpa's house, during which I called your mom and she and I chatted a bit on the phone.
When we got "home", I carried you inside, and laid you on the your small inflatable bed. You slept for a full 90 minutes before I heard your voice as I was tying here at the computer in the dining room.
"Daddy"
"Yes"
"Are you downstairs?... Michael's needs bottle... Daddy, are you upstairs?... Michael's needs bottle... Daddy, get down..."
"Okay"
I made you a bottle from the soy formula, sat you on the potty, and laid you back on the bed to have your drink, and if you want, to have a bit more of a nap. You like the bottle more than the cup, although I suspect that quite soon, perhaps in a month, perhaps longer, the bottles will be put away.
Now, as time smoothly continues on, I'm curious what will happen after your thirst is quenched or your bottle is empty. Will you be ready for a bit more of a nap? Will you be ready for more adventures together?
Being a parent, it is an interesting thing.
Living in the moment.
Living in the now.
Living for each other.
After eating a raisin bagel, we hoped in the car, and coasted (most of the way) down to Lake Michigan in Arcadia. There is a small playground there, and I followed you around to see what you would do. First, you tried the merry-go-round. I turned it gently, and you walked around a bit. You were ready for something else. I walked towards the slide, and encouraged to you to get down on your own, which you did, after laying down on your belly, and putting down your feet.
Then, you tried sliding down the big metal slide. I actually tried first, but found that the slide wasn't slippery. Too much friction. I tried scooting down, but ended up hoping off over the side about half way down. You tried. I followed you up the ladder, because a few days earlier, you had almost tipped over and off the top of a slide in Onekama. Today, you got to the top, slide down, but again, too much friction, and you had to try to scoot yourself down the slide... a long way to scoot, especially for you. You it a second try, but the same results. It seemed that there was actually something preventing that slide from working.
I hopped on the big swing for a few, but you were more interested in the bench swings overlooking the lake. "Sit down, Daddy... Right here," you instructed and we swang for a few seconds. Sometimes you will swing for a long time, but today you were ready for something else, and asked if it was time to go.
Instead, we walked down the sandy stair to the beach. The wooden stair was covered with sand, so you half scooted, half walked down. You said "Fire ring," as we walked past one, and you were quite curious about the empty drink bottle which appeared to have been discarded into the circle. We then walked along the shore towards the North, with the Lake on our left, making sure to keep our tracks above the wet beach wave line. It wasn't long before we got to the wooden walls sticking perpendicular out of the shore and into the water. We turned around, but you were interested in walking along one of the walls, which you tried, but the wall was rather uneven on top, and you were ready to try something else.
We walked to the south with the Lake on the right, and even though you were again asking for a car ride, or to go back to Grandma's house, I convinced you to walk a bit more. As we went, we saw some pebbles washed up in a line along the beach, and each wave was just barely keeping them damp. I looked down to see if I might spot a Petosky stone, and to my surprise there was a small one right there, just where I was looking. I gave it to you, and you held it for a bit, and then you started looking for some stones as well. A bit later, you ended up finding one that also looked like a fossil, and we found a nice piece of "sea" glass as well.
It wasn't long before we got to a point where the waves were washing all the way up to the beach grass, so we turned around and headed back. You said you were ready for a car ride, and I pointed out the US flag flying over the parking lot, not far ahead. On our way, we passed a couple with a small dog going in the opposite direction, and then I found another small Petosky Stone, just before we saw some really nice animal tracks... small dog tracks, in the wet beach sand, but headed in the other direction. I told you a bit about what made the tracks, and that you could still see the dog.
When we got back to the fire rings, there was a family that was testing out the water by putting there feet in there. You weren't very interested with that, and so we went back up the sandy stair, and at your request, used the port-a-potty to go pee. For some reason, you asked to go again immediately after we had finished and closed the door... which is something that you've been doing now and again. At this point, I have to still pull down and up your pants, set you on the seat, and hold you there making sure you don't fall in or fall off, plus offering you a bit of paper to wipe up.
We hoped back in the car, and the greater adventure awaited because we climbed the big stair on top of the bluff, and after doing that, we went for a walk in the woods, enjoying some time to sit down and eat some black raspberries. We then took the scenic route home, coasting in neutral much of the way, and by the time we were back to Grandma and Grandpa's house, during which I called your mom and she and I chatted a bit on the phone.
When we got "home", I carried you inside, and laid you on the your small inflatable bed. You slept for a full 90 minutes before I heard your voice as I was tying here at the computer in the dining room.
"Daddy"
"Yes"
"Are you downstairs?... Michael's needs bottle... Daddy, are you upstairs?... Michael's needs bottle... Daddy, get down..."
"Okay"
I made you a bottle from the soy formula, sat you on the potty, and laid you back on the bed to have your drink, and if you want, to have a bit more of a nap. You like the bottle more than the cup, although I suspect that quite soon, perhaps in a month, perhaps longer, the bottles will be put away.
Now, as time smoothly continues on, I'm curious what will happen after your thirst is quenched or your bottle is empty. Will you be ready for a bit more of a nap? Will you be ready for more adventures together?
Being a parent, it is an interesting thing.
Living in the moment.
Living in the now.
Living for each other.