Since the weather is really nice now, and since it now stays sunny out later in the day (so it's not dark when I leave work), I've been making it a point to take Angelica to the park several times a week after school. I truly believe in encouraging her to be active, and it has the added benefit that when I spend an hour chasing her around a playground, I don't have to work out later on!
Tonight we checked out a local park that I hadn't actually been to before (and really regret not visiting before, because it was a million times better than the one I normally go to AND it's on the way home), and she climbed all over the toddler playground, progressed to the BIG kid playground and proceeded to scare the living daylights out of me by climbing up the big steps to the very top of the play structure. (I don't want her to inherit my fear of heights so I kept my freaking out to a minimum, and just cautioned her to "be careful on the big steps".)
We also spent time chasing ducks (which she loved), staring at the very picturesque lake, watching other kids on the playground (she was fascinated by a little boy about her age who had a Dora bandaid on his elbow), and chasing squirrels up trees (even as we were leaving she kept saying "Squirrel, where are you?? It could be anywhere!"). Finally she asked to go home to "get juice in Minnie Mouse cup and watch Minnie Mouse" so we left.
From time to time I like to ask her questions just to see if she'll answer them. Most of the time it's something I doubt she'll be able to comprehend or answer (like, "Why do you think the sky is blue?" or "What's your favorite animal?", stuff like that), so tonight during her bath (about two hours after returning from the park), I asked her, "What was the best part about being at the park today?"
She looked at me. I could tell her little mind was chugging away. There was a definite, deliberate silence, then finally she piped up and said, "Oh! The steps!"
The one thing I didn't make a big deal about (despite my freaking out), and the one thing I didn't think was a big deal (since she was thrilled with the ducks and the squirrels after all, and the girl climbs on just about everything she can wherever we go) and THAT was the best part for her.
And the best part for me? I had an actual conversation with my 22 1/2 month old daughter.
2 comments:
Don't you just love the conversations? This age is so much fun! I could do without the 100 "why" questions I get every day, though. :-)
We haven't hit the "why" phase yet, but my nephew is sure in it and I'm actually really looking forward to it. I love when he asks "Why" about everything, it makes me stop and think, and it's cute how inquisitive they are. Everything is so new!
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