Dream: After a long and cold winter, I escape to a spring sanctuary, reclining on a chaise lounge while enjoying the fresh air. I’m ready for the warmer weather with my adorable milk gut popping behind my new sundress. If I do say so myself, I look fab. I sip a nice, cold cup of apple juice on the rocks with an umbrella floating in it. Paradise found!
Reality: We survived an NYC winter that never seemed to relent and it’s finally a beautiful spring day. I’m finally allowed to sport my new, colorful, spring dress and sandals (without socks!). Mommy takes my hand and we stroll to the park at a leisurely pace. There’s all sorts of sidewalk traffic with throngs of people enjoying this gorgeous day.
We arrive at the lake and I start pulling at the Velcro on my sandals. Note to my baby friends: Velcro is much easier to undo than tied-up laces. Mommy efforts don’t stand a chance against Velcro-happy little hands! So I start kicking off my sandals and Mommy actually helps me get them off for once. She takes off her own sandals, too, and then makes funny frolicking motions in a big circle like they do in the movies. She looks so goofy but I don’t see any of my friends around, so I decide to join in. We run carefree and barefoot in the grass. The feel of the moist ground on the bottoms of my feet tickles so much it makes me giggle. This is the most fun ever! I look up and there’s nothing but beautiful, bright blue skies and fluffy white clouds that look like cotton candy. Good thing I’m not hungry! Best of all, I brought my new babiators (my cool new shades, of course) to protect my baby blues.
Being an energizer toddler, I like to keep running around but I stop suddenly in my tracks when I see a new friend making a fascinating sound. Mommy calls it an egret. The big white wonder starts flapping its wings like my pigeon friends (or rats with wings as Daddy calls them), but these wings are so much bigger and much prettier. I start to mimic caw, caw, telling the beautiful bird that I can be her friend, but Mommy ruins the moment by cheering me on and scaring away the animal. Typical Mommy!
She tries to cheer me up by taking both of my hands and swinging me around. Hey, I’m flying just like the egret! I squeal with pure joy and ask for more please, using my hands to make signs since I’m still working on some new words. We spin some more and make ourselves so dizzy that we fall down in a mommy-baby heap of happiness.
I quickly pull myself back up…and trip over a big twig. It felt pretty cool to roll over like that, so I start intentionally walking into all the twigs and branches on the ground. It’s nature’s own obstacle course! As I’m trucking along, I roll over a small, rough ball in my path. I bend down to get a closer look and realize it’s a rock. Sweet! I always wanted a pet rock. Mommy says “rock” and picks up a bigger one while saying “rock” again. Sometimes, she thinks I don’t hear her the first time!
I continue along with my pet rock in one hand and Mommy’s hand in the other, and we both pause when we see cherry blossoms appear before our eyes. Mommy picks me up and sits me on the branch and we smell the blossoms together. I didn’t know the park could smell so wonderful! We play in the flowers for what seems like hours and then take some home with us.
Exhausted from my spring fling, I fall asleep on the stroller ride home. And guess what? My flowers and pet rock are waiting for me when I wake up. Sneaky Mommy. Very sneaky. But I love you for it!
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