Feeling Better - Daddy and Me

[bkdelong]

I've been very off physically the last few days so it's nice to be feeling back to normal. Unfortunately, I missed the second half of my Red Cross Family Services course where you learn and practice interviewing families "on the scene". Speaking of On the Scene, I also missed that class earlier in the week which is supposed to walk one through dealing with a fire or other local emergency. Finally, I missed the Volunteer Recognition Banquet last night. Not a huge deal as I'm way too new to get anything and I essentially donated a few extra bucks so some of the poorer college student volunteers could get tickets - money well spent.

I am SO digging this "Daddy & Me" time I've been spending with Will on Thursdays. Yesterday we spent the morning in our jammies watching a few TV shows and playing with toys on the floor. While he was down for his morning nap I packed a lunch, (peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, grapes, 1/3 of a bananna, and some goldfish), got some extra bottles, and laid out some warm outerware.

When he got up, I got him all bundled and we headed out to the newly-discovered Forest River Park in Salem. (I should say, new for me - not Will. He's been there a few times with a playgroup and his Nana.) This park is gorgeous and huge. The playground is quite big with lots of slides and things to climb. It's quite the little forest with the water nearby, lots of green grass, (although this is now covered by an array of colorful foliage), rocks, hills and such.

We had a BALL. I sort of set him down and followed him around. I let him do what he wanted and tried to be there to spot him just in case as he still hasn't grasped the full concept of gravity. A few times I helped him however I'm trying to get him to sign "help" when he wants assistance. It's funny....I was pretty self-conscous about looking like an overprotective dad following him around everywhere. But he is very active and still young at 18mo. While I want him to learn about gravity and being more careful, I still want to shepherd him through the learning process.

There were a few other kids that came throughout the morning. We arrived at about 10:30am and only one other mother with a 13mo old was there. At some point a mother with 3 boys- one being only a few months old and *2* dogs arrived. I don't know how she did it but she managed to feed the baby and in some cases hold the dogs on a lead while her other boys played.

At one point there was a girl who didn't seem to want Will to do anything she was. In some cases, I'll admit, he was following her around but if she saw him going for the car, she'd go for the car. If she saw him running to the slide, she'd try to get there first. At one point her mother was pushing her baby brother in a swing while she was hanging around. Will headed straight for the other swing and the girl threw a temper tantrum as her judicious mother tried to explain that she just got out of the swing and now it was Will's turn. Will just stood there with me silently and patiently while she cried and stomped and her mother talked it out. Finally, it seemed over so I popped him in while the girl continued to cry. What she didn't realize is that Will doesn't really have the attention span for swinging and about 30secs to a minute after he was in, giggling and swinging...he gave the sign for "all done" and that was that.

A few times he went down the side of the hill the playground was on and at one point ended up at the beach. I let him go as far as the water line because he kept sinking in the wet sand. I had to keep picking him up and plopping him in another direction.

He only really got fussy once. And that was after we started lunch and he was polishing his 2nd quarter of his sandwich. He kept trying to get up and go play but I held him on my knee because he was covered in peanut butter. He threw a small tantrum and then started to mellow. I knew that after 2.5hrs of park play it was time for nap #2. We cleaned up, headed home, got a milk bottle and settled in for some Little Einstein before he passed out.

I feel a bit guilty because Thurs are his "playgroup" days and I haven't gone once since I took over watching him on Thurs because I wasn't keen on socializing with a bunch of women. But it would be nice for him to have a common group to play with. He goes to daycare and has friends there twice a week.

I love being a dad.

Comments

Little Man

[darcey321.livejournal.com]

Thanks for sharing your "Daddy and Me" time with us. I miss those days of playing in the parks, glad to know you are spending this time with him. It's important for both of you.

[floppsy.livejournal.com]

Reading this just makes me want a baby even more ... buuut ... then I realized I could just take your day & swap out "electronics stores" for "playground", "soba" for "PB&J", "green tea" for "milk bottle" & "CNBC" for "Little Einstein" & I'm married to the same scenerio -- fussiness (constant jet lag), naps, day care (aka his 'office') & all ::G::

Uuuum, we never have to tell M I said that ... right???

Seriously though, glad you're feeling better & spending quality time with family!!!