Yesterday it felt like spring...the sky was blue, the sun was warm on my skin, the neighborhood was alive with bikers and runners, and we even turned on the A/C in the van. I just couldn't bear to spend the day indoors--off to the park we went (for the first of hopefully many more park days to come)!
Silly as it may sound, I felt like prayers had been answered. For the first time ever (ever!), Ben walked from the parking lot to the park by himself without insisting (crying and going wet-noodle limp) on riding in the stroller. He walked along the sidewalk, holding my hand, like a big kid! After getting his fill of the swings Benny pointed to the slides and said, "ride!" I couldn't believe his confidence and independence when he climbed up the stairs all by himself and slid down the big kid slide all by himself--over and over, and over, again! What unbelievable progress over last summer when I had to bring a bucket of toys with us to entertain Ben at the park because he refused to get out of the safety of his stroller to do anything. I'm ecstatic that he not only has the ability, but the willingness, to play and explore at the playground. It may not seem like a big deal, but I can't put in to words how life-changing it feels to me to have Ben demonstrate a little bit of independence and a desire to participate in activities. It made my heart happy to watch him peek through the plexi-glass window and stomp over the mini-bridge--just like every other kid.
It won't be long before I'm chasing little Jobot all over the playground, so it's kind of nice to be able to contain him in the swing for a bit.
Check it out! He's climbing up those stairs all by himself!
What spring day is complete without a nice bike ride?
Oh how I love the sunshine! Life is better when the sun is shining. What a sweet glimpse into all of the outdoor fun that awaits this summer!
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