At the Park

P is all boy.

I think I have said this before, but I used to scoff at parents when their excuse was "Sigh..he is all boy."

Now I am that parent.

This kid doesn't stop.

He is a truck loving, dirt loving, Cars loving, dinosaur loving, ball of pure energy. 

We had no real plans today so I knew we needed to get out for the house, mainly for my sanity. So our new plans included paying two bills and finding a park in MH to play at.

We get to the park and I'm relieved to see that it's not too busy. It's hard to chase after a fearless 2 year old with other kids in the way.

Yes, I chase after my kid.

His first few rounds on the playground equipment I try to be by him so he can get the hang of it. There are a LOT of big openings on playground equipment!

This time I didn't and he almost fell off it. Like for real fall, not a over protective mom thinking he was giong to fall.

My kid is not the most coordinated...thanks to a family history of being pigeon toed. He falls a lot. Totally ok to fall...buuuuut not off playground equipment. So I'm on the ground, for once, on my way to a slide I know he is going for, and he climbs up a step and falls a bit.......right next to the opening for the chain ladder. I panic and there is NO way to get to him.

All I can think is, "Oh shit.....can he die from falling that high? Why did I run this way!? Why didn't I barrel roll under the bridge so I could catch him!? Do I call Thane or 911 first!? Ohmygod. We have been here for 3 minutes and my kid is going to break his arm."

I'm not lying. That all happened in my head. I'm a little crazy. 

Then...he caught himself and stood up. Thank god.

He then bypasses the nice safe slide I'm standing next to and goes to the highest one possible.

I'm telling you. No fear.

Goes down the slide and starts all over. This time I am on the side of the opening to catch him..and he does it again. The third time I walk up there with him and calmly explain to him that he has to be more careful on this step because he could fall and get hurt. I pointed to the opening and said, Ouch!

The next time I let him do it himself, with me standing right there, and he got to the step, looked at me, and slowed down his body so he wouldn't fall.

I was SO happy!! He *actually* listened to me! Mark it down!! 

And then I felt guilty. Am I being too over protective? Obviously in this case..no. He almost fell and certainly would have broken something, but it did change my approach to the rest of the playground. 

When he wanted to try the ladder that is a bunch of Us, I let him; even though the thought of him going up it scared the shit out of me. I helped him navigate up with one hand on his belly and one on his butt to boost him. The entire time I'm panicking thinking how I can catch him if he falls and I don't brace him in time. I pictured him slamming his chin on the bars. I thought of the guilt I'd have because even though I was holding him up I probably wouldn't be strong enough or fast enough to grab him if he totally biffed and fell while he was above me. 

None of those things happened.

 My kid who has never been on this ladder before was so sure footed, and with me holding him if he slipped, he was confident. 

That is exactly how I want him to be. 

Confident, yet he knows I'll be there if he slips. 

If he falls however...well I'll be there to wipe off the dirt and snuggle til he is better. (which is usually about 4 seconds after he falls.)

My kid is a rockstar.....until you go to Kwik Trip.